Search and Rescue
by Kegel
Summary: Robin and Guy have to team up when Marian seems to have disappeared.
1. Chapter 1

**Search and Rescue **

**By: **Kegel & bron_v

**Summary:** Robin and Guy have to team up when Marian seems to have disappeared.

**Spoilers:** Till _Lardner's Ring_.

**Disclaimer:** We don't own the show or any of its characters and make no profit from this work.

**A/N: **This fic was written for the bigbanghood challenge at LJ. My co-author for this story is _bron_v_**.** Thanks go to _Emmithar_ who not only betaed this fic, but is also always a source of inspiration.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"Gisborne!" came the yell too often heard within the castle walls, "Gisborne!"

"Yes, my lord?" The tall leather-clad figure of Gisborne strode into the chamber.

"Took your time, didn't you, Gisborne? Leper's keeping you?" The Sheriff took his seat at the end of a long table situated in the middle of the room, and looked up at Guy, sneering.

"No, Marian's resting," Guy explained, ignoring the often used derogatory expression of the sheriff. "She was visiting the market today. Supervised of course." Guy still stood, knowing full well he would have to listen to these taunts before they actually got down to business.

"Of course, of course. What took you so long then, counting your failures?"

"No, my lord."

The sheriff lifted his eyebrows. "You may not think this fair, Gisborne, but if life was fair you would have never left France, and I would have a right hand man who is far less brooding and dresses in slightly more colourful attire," he said, in an almost absentminded tone, which did not at all seem to match the words coming out of his mouth.

Gisborne decided to change the subject sooner rather than later. "What did you want, my Lord?"

Two servants walked in then, carrying a considerable amount of food, placing it down on the table in silence, not even daring to smile at either of the two men in the room. As they walked out, the sheriff gestured to the guards outside the chamber to shut the door, which they did, also without saying a word.

"Your little friend, Allan, he knows where Hood's camp is," the sheriff said suddenly.

"No, my Lord, Allan has sworn..."

The sheriff leapt out of his seat, charging forward so that his face was mere inches from Gisborne's, a remarkable feat considering the height difference between the two.

"He knows, Gisborne. Hood is making a larger fool of us every single day, and not only that, he still holds the Great Pact of Nottingham. Your boy is going to find Robin Hood's camp and retrieve the pact, and I don't care if it kills him."

"He doesn't know..." Gisborne tried to argue.

"You believe the word of a traitor, Gisborne?" The sheriff's voice was slightly quieter as he asked this, but still held the menacing tone.

"He is loyal to me."

"Yes, well, the last person who was loyal to you ended up running off to a convent to escape your constant hounding."

Back on the taunting, again, Gisborne thought. "Marian was grieving her father," he said tiredly, as though it was something he'd had to say a hundred times already.

"She could grieve here. But she chose to grieve at an abbey, away from you..."

"And she returned again."

"And fell into the hands of Robin Hood, like everything else we've tried to keep within the walls of the castle. If Hood isn't stopped soon, something is going to happen to dear Marian. Especially if she's being allowed to walk through the market with only one guard to protect her..."

Guy looked up sharply upon hearing this, wondering if the sheriff believed he had found a new way to motivate him to kill Hood. "What would you propose?" he asked slowly.

"We need to knock his confidence, make him realize that he is just a pesky little outlaw fighting for a lost and pointless cause." The sheriff paused, before adding, "Where is Allan now?"

"Out there, somewhere," Guy said disinterestedly.

"Good. Find him. Talk to him. Find out about Robin, find out what matters to him, what he really cares about. And not just some lowly innocent peasant, but something he would really die for. Your boy can pretend he doesn't know where Hood's camp is, but he can't pretend he doesn't know what makes him... tick." The Sheriff put emphasis on his last word, so that Gisborne could almost hear every single letter.

"And we destroy it?"

"No, Gisborne, we steal it. It may be a pretty little villager he's taken a shine to, we just take her, and then we bargain with him, we offer the pact in return for pretty villager's life, and Hood gives us the pact, and realizes he is not as invincible as he believes he is."

"What if we can't get our hands on whoever it is?"

The sheriff sat back into his seat, and took some of the meat off the table, unceremoniously shoving it into his mouth. His mouth still half full as he spoke, "Not my problem, Gisborne, your task now, and you'll be the one picking up the slack..."

Guy looked disbelieving at Vaysey. "My task... My Lord, this is entirely your idea."

"Yes, well, after your little escapade in the forest in which you failed to kill or capture Hood despite having him completely surrounded in a tree, I think you need a chance to prove you are not entirely incompetent, don't you?" the sheriff snarled.

Gisborne wrinkled his nose, but knew better than to argue. "Should I speak to Allan now, my Lord?"

"No, no, Gisborne, I would not have ordered for dinner to be brought if we were merely discussing an outlaw, we have far more important business to deliberate on, sit down..."

* * *

The castle yard lay empty, and soon after the sun had set behind the horizon, the last sounds from inside the buildings quieted down as well. The fortress and most of its occupants had retired for the night. Marian was well aware that there were still lone guards stationed at strategic points inside and outside, but she also knew that they were neither in full force nor very vigilant.

No, the ones she had to take the most care with were those who commanded those troops. She had just returned from an evening stroll through the castle, which she preferred neither the sheriff nor Guy of Gisborne to learn of, as they might question her motivation for being out of her quarters this late. Her reason for her wandering had actually been those two men. Earlier that day, when she had been about to go to the market, she had overheard a servant informing Guy of the sheriff's wish for a consultation with him that night. Guy had been about to ride out, but had nodded his agreement nevertheless. Naturally, he didn't have much choice, though he was sure to have his own private thoughts about any matter such as this.

Marian had seen him leaving the castle soon afterwards, but had assumed that he would return the same day in order to observe the time for his meeting with the sheriff. This was what had induced her to leave her quarters early at night, walking leisurely - and hopefully inconspicuously in case she was seen - through the castle towards her destination.

She had not met anybody on her way, had moved towards the sheriff's quarters carefully and observantly. She had made sure to stay some distance away from the entrance to his main chambers, watching for anyone approaching it from afar. It hadn't taken long until Guy had arrived, apparently back from his ride, striding with large steps towards the door.

She had seen it opening and had heard the sheriff's voice from inside the room. Besides him taunting Gisborne, she had understood that he had ordered a servant to deliver his dinner preferences to the kitchen. He had ordered enough for two people, so Marian assumed that Guy was invited too, unless the sheriff had another guest she didn't know about. The door had been closed then and two guards had positioned themselves in front of it. Marian knew that she had learned all she could for now and had hurried back to her own quarters.

It was often little things like these that could help; conferences the sheriff held, trips out of town Guy undertook. It wasn't always big news she learned. It was a rare occurrence that she could tell Robin about any grand plan of the sheriff that he could thwart. But it was those small pieces of information that had helped her aid the people in and around Nottingham for years.

This evening it had solely given her the knowledge that the Master-at-Arms was safely in a meeting with the sheriff for a long period of time, including dinner. Still Marian waited till after sundown to take advantage of the shadows the sparsely lit castle would offer at night.

Then she carefully clad herself in the Nightwatchman's robes that were usually well hidden between clothes no respectable man would ever dare to touch. She kept listening for any sounds coming from behind the door, although she knew Guy to be occupied for the time being. There wasn't really anyone else who would come to visit her. Any chamber maid who might come to ask if she desired anything else for the night would knock at the door before entering.

There was a sound, and Marian started, but steadying her breath she realized it had come from outside her window. Being taken by surprise in her chamber while wearing the Nightwatchman's costume wasn't something she was keen on experiencing. Another sound followed and she listened closely to hear voices in the castle yard. It wasn't long before they were gone and she assured herself that those sounds didn't relate to her or anything she planned to do this night. She carefully placed her mask over her face, completing her attire. Taking a leather sack she had prepared earlier with her, she slipped out of her room, closing the door softly behind her. There were often guards outside her chamber, but she had assured herself earlier that they were not there now.

She hurried along the corridors of the castle, attentive to stay in the shadows as far as possible. She didn't meet or see anyone. She had learned to avoid any encounters, discovering where the guards were stationed in order to estimate the rounds they would make, always keeping watch for when they left to occupy their boredom or perhaps relieve themselves. She kept stepping forward carefully, but in a steady manner. There were few torches lit in the castle and most of the corridors were engulfed in darkness.

Marian moved downwards. Stepping down a spiral staircase, she left the floor that included her chamber behind her. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and waited to listen for any sound. After a moment she heard footsteps coming in her direction and hastily took some steps back up the staircase, doing her best to hide herself. The sounds moved away as quickly as they had come and Marian waited another moment before she walked downstairs again.

As she moved along, she took care to stay close to the walls. Ahead she could discern the light of a torch at the wall. Then its shine was penetrated by a shadow that appeared around the corner, as a man came into sight. Marian saw the glint of a knife as it was thrown up into the air and caught again, only to be tossed once more. She frowned as she recognized Allan wandering along casually, and backed away, out of sight.

The sound of his steps stopped suddenly and she wondered if he had noticed her. She listened closely, debating whether to show herself openly or to try and hide. Allan had sworn never to betray her, but there was no good reason to risk him knowing anything he didn't have to know, especially that the Nightwatchman was active in the castle tonight. She kept listening, but couldn't make out any more sounds that she could attribute to the man. After a few more moments she peaked around the corner and found an empty corridor in front of her. Allan had managed to vanish without her noticing where he had gone. She glanced around, still on her guard.

Finally she decided that she had no more time to lose and glided along the passageway swiftly. A sudden call jerked her up and when she saw Allan next to her a split-second later, she realized that she could be glad it was only him, and that she should have anticipated this to happen. There was nothing else to expect when dealing with an outlaw…former outlaw…or whatever Allan's current status was.

"Up late?" he asked, still playing with the knife. Marian pressed her lips together, watching him and almost waiting for the blood to start flowing from his hands when he would miss the handle of the knife as it was bound to happen in her mind. He looked at her nonchalantly. He didn't even try to pretend that he didn't know it was her behind the mask, so much was sure.

"Any reason for you to ambush me?" she returned finally in a quiet voice. She didn't plan on saying anything more, not daring to risk exposure just for a nice little conversation with Allan. She turned to go, but kept watching him out of the corner of her eyes.

He lifted his eyebrows, turning to leave as well. "Lovely night, isn't it? Just a tad lonely," he said, as if just talking to himself.

She didn't understand why he had said that. She didn't waste time pondering it though. Instead she hurried along, hoping he abided by his promise to her. She went further and further downstairs, having long left the nobles' chambers behind her. She had to move more carefully once she reached the floor where the kitchen and the servant's quarters were located. More lights were shining down here, as the cooks and maids were kept up by the still ongoing preparations for the several courses of the sheriff's dinner. As far as Marian was aware, neither Vaysey nor Gisborne would eat even a considerable part of the amount of food that was transported upstairs, but the sheriff had a preference for a large variety of dishes. At least he still seemed to be occupied.

It became more difficult to remain unseen. Marian knew that most of the servants would let her pass without any trouble, having heard about the work of the Nightwatchman and condoning or even supporting it, but there was still a risk involved in being seen and she wanted to endanger neither herself nor those people unnecessarily. She had to wait several times to let people walk by her hiding place, before she could move on.

She felt like the journey was taking her forever, but finally she reached the lowest floor of the castle, save for the dungeons that was. She had been planning to come down here for a long time, hoping to find new ways out of – and into – the castle.

The corridor was completely dark. She had left the last shine of light behind her, when she had come down the last narrow staircase, taking even more care now. As far as she knew, she should be able to reach a way out soon. She was taking it step by step, hoping the ground would remain firm and that she would not be surprised by any barrier. The floor wasn't even, it seemed to be leading her downwards instead.

Marian had been moving through the darkness for several minutes, when a sound next to her caused her to stop dead. Unmoving, she tried to discern where it had come from. She hadn't hit against anything when she had been walking, so the sound had to have been caused by somebody or something else.

The next second there were more sounds, and she caught a glimpse of a shine of light moving in the distance. After a confused moment she realized that she was staring into a crossing corridor and that the light was moving towards her. She leapt forward quickly, hoping she hadn't been seen yet. If whoever was coming had been far enough away, the shadows might have hidden her still, but she wasn't sure about it. In any case, she needed to get away, so she ran along the corridor that was now dimly lit, although the darkness increased with every step she took.

Her heart pounding fast, she hoped to reach another adjoining floor, another staircase, an unlocked door, anywhere she would be able to hide before the person who carried the light would turn around the corner and spot her.

Finally there was a turn to the right and she hurried around it, the darkness once again enclosing her. She slowed down then and it proved to be a wise decision for in the next second she walked into some kind of barrier. For a moment she was afraid of being trapped, but was easily able to climb over it, feeling the wooden material with her hands, before she ran on.

She only managed another few steps, before the ground suddenly vanished and left her only a split-second of confusion.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Guy marched through the castle, wearied from the long meeting with the sheriff. He intended to head to Allan's chamber, hoping for the sake of the other's well-being that the man wasn't out drinking somewhere. His thoughts then turned to what the sheriff's conversation had held... Hood, the Black Knights and King Richard... Involuntarily his mind slipped to more pleasant matters... Marian... and not really paying attention to where he was going, it was too late that he realized that his legs were taking him past Marian's chamber en route to Allan's that was located on a lower floor.

He walked past the door, behind which she would be resting, deliberately not looking at it, keeping his eyes focused on the wall at the end of the corridor. This strength did not last long, however, and only a few feet past the door he stopped, and turned to look at it after all, a frown on his face.

He guessed that she was asleep by now and didn't want to be disturbed. Another part of his mind argued though that she might be lonely, all alone and friendless in the castle after her father's death. Guy was glad she had returned to the place; he had not expected it, had thought he had lost her when she had fled to the convent. He contemplated knocking at her door for another moment. It could not hurt, despite the late hour. Arguing with himself, Guy reached forward and knocked on the wooden door. No answer. He knocked again.

"Marian? Marian, it's me, Guy," he said softly, or at least as softly as he could manage. There was still no answer.

He reached out with a hand. It wasn't locked, but when he pushed the door open it creaked loudly. He sharply shut the door again. If Marian was asleep, which it seemed she was, she would surely not appreciate being awoken by a noisy door.

He stared at it for a moment, before he closed his eyes and turned to walk down the corridor. The plan to go and talk to Allan was now gone from his mind, and instead he went back to his own room, making a mental promise to return to Marian's the following morning.

So when dawn broke the next day, Guy got dressed and headed back to Marian's chamber, now entirely focused on where he was going. He didn't hesitate before knocking on the door this time either, and was surprised when there was still no reply. He pushed the door open once again, this time not worrying when it creaked, pushing it the whole way. He stepped inside, and looked towards her bed. Marian wasn't there.

Slowly, he walked out again and looked up and down the corridor. There was a guard at each end of it.

"Oi, you two!" he shouted.

The guards turned to look at Guy, unsure if he was actually calling for them. "Who?" one of them asked.

"You, and him." Guy looked from the guard who asked to the other one. "Has Lady Marian left her chamber this morning?"

"No, my Lord." The guard didn't get to say more, as Guy had already run back through the door into Marian's chamber. The guards looked at each other and sighed knowingly before returning to their posts at the ends of the corridor.

Guy looked around the whole room, but already knew that she wasn't anywhere. If she hadn't left the chamber this morning, it could only mean she hadn't returned there for the night. He knew that she had come back from her visit to the market. The guard who had gone with her had reported to him later and had assured him of her safe return. Guy rushed to the window and looked out, but she couldn't be seen in the courtyard the room overlooked. He ran out into the corridor, and marched hurriedly down it, shouting, "Marian!" She couldn't have left him again...

As he headed around a corner, he almost walked straight into Allan.

"Hey Giz..."

"Have you seen Marian?" Guy asked, figuring the man might have seen her slipping out. He knew too well that she was in the habit of doing so.

"Wha...?" Allan looked mildly confused.

"She's not in her chamber and the guards haven't seen her leave..."

"'Haven't seen her," the former outlaw said quickly and Guy did not wonder for the first time how much of the man's communication consisted of compulsive lying.

He turned away from Allan, wondering where Marian might have gone. She often had some excuse as to why she had to leave the castle, many times her father's well-being had been her reasoning for it. The man was dead now and Guy could only puzzle as to what other private matters Marian felt the need to attend to that she did not want him to know about.

He did not pretend he knew much about female habits, but as far as he could tell, noblewomen, who had little occupations that they needed to attend to, generally spent their time in each other's company, conversing, embroidering and reading, if they were well educated. Of course, Marian had little opportunity for keeping company with other noblewomen. Guy smirked; as little as he liked it, he could very well imagine that Marian sometimes sneaked away to spend time with common women. It didn't befit her status, but she had oftentimes shown tendencies to ally at least in heart with the common folk. He knew he had to show her that he would gladly spend more time with her; hopefully it would drive the nonsense with the commoners out of her head. Once she would have a family and children to care for, this would certainly be the case...

"Guy?" Allan's voice brought him back to the present. "You sure she hasn't just gone for a stroll or something. She could've gone quietly, those guards... they aren't that smart."

Guy nodded, the matter finished for him for now. He'd talk to Marian about it later. There were other duties he had to attend to. He sent Allan away and went to talk to the sheriff then, as the man had wanted to see him once again.

It was when he had not heard of or seen Marian several hours later that he once again started to wonder. He returned to her chamber, but it was still empty. Surely she would be back by now, no matter the trifle matter she would have attended to...

He had thought he had been keeping enough tabs on her, but apparently the guards that had been supposed to watch her door had not been worth their gold.

Guy marched off, looking for Allan, and found the man sleeping on a sack of flour near the kitchen. The lazy dog had apparently filled his stomach and had then drowsily gone to sleep. Gisborne jerked the man awake and the former outlaw opened his eyes in confusion.

"What's up? Is the castle on fire?" He rubbed his forehead wearily.

It was the sheriff's warning from the previous night that was going through Guy's head. Something was going to happen to Marian, if Hood was not caught soon... Hood... the man had taken her before, had held her hostage and had used her to save his own life...

"Where is Marian?" he asked Allan who only shrugged helplessly. Guy grabbed him by the collar. "Did Hood take her again?"

"Robin? What? How'd I…," Allan shook his head, reaching up to try and make Guy let him go. "Robin doesn't hurt innocent women, Guy. "

"Then what's he doing with her?"

"He might not have her. Not kidding, but how would he have taken her from the castle?"

Gisborne released his hold on the man. "But he's the only one who would have wanted to."

"Maybe not, she could've caught any bloke's eye," Allan reasoned.

Gisborne had now stopped listening to Allan. "Go and ask in the town, if anyone's seen her, any trace, bring them to me."

"What are you going to do?"

"I am going to speak with my lieutenant, I need to organize a proper search for her." Guy sped up and walked off, leaving Allan alone in the corridor.

An hour later Guy stood at the top of the steps in the castle courtyard, a group of twenty men gathered in front of him, all mounted on horses. Next to Guy was a man, dressed in attire almost identical to the guards', but he stood with a more superior manner than the men who patrolled the corridors of the castle.

"Is this all you could muster?" Guy asked, disapprovingly looking at his lieutenant.

"You didn't give me much time, Sir, but I assure you, these are the best men in Nottingham for the job. I know them all individually; they won't let you down," the man explained.

"They'd better not," Guy warned. He trotted down the castle steps, and spoke to the men before him, walking amongst them as he did so. He told them everything they needed to know. He warned them about Hood, offered rewards, made sure to mention that Marian was to be left unscathed in any cases.

Guy watched as the men left. He wouldn't be able to follow them now, still having duties to attend to. But as soon as those were done, he himself would join the search with a second group of guards. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to calm himself. He knew he was taken action into a direction he couldn't even be certain was the right one. It was possible Marian had simply gone back to the convent, although he didn't believe she would have left without taking any of her belongings with her. He couldn't be sure, but he had decided that he had to act, considering the worst case.

He headed back up the steps towards the castle, but was interrupted in his track before he got to the top.

"Gisborne!" The Sheriff burst through the doors. "What in God's name is going on? I come out of my chambers and see there are no guards at my door! Do you want to have me murdered in my bed?!"

"Sorry, my Lord, but Lady Marian's gone missing. I had to organize for all castle staff to be questioned, if any one of them has seen her..."

"Gisborne! Are you telling me that I am at risk getting killed and Nottingham razed to the ground so that a leper who I prefer way out of my sight can be found?!" the sheriff yelled in Guy's face.

"My Lord, she could be hurt..."

"Does it bother me? A clue: no."

* * *

The arrow hit the tree with a thud. It stuck out of the trunk half an inch from another one. Any bystander would have thought that they had just witnessed Robin Hood failing to hit his target. Unless, of course, they had been privy to the only reluctantly voiced appeals of several outlaws requesting that Robin would not destroy any more arrows by playing around and splitting them. The man cheered though, before aiming yet another one, and fitted it right between the other two.

Then a movement in the scrub caught Robin's eye and it taking only a moment to ready another arrow and aim, it shot through the air, hitting its intended target at the same time that Much jerked up because the arrows had left their earlier fly-zone.

"I got you a rabbit," Robin announced, regarding his friend's puzzled expression.

"What do I want with a rabbit?" Much murmured, but Robin was already spurting ahead, retrieving the dead animal from the ground.

"Come on, Much, you want it for supper, I know you do." He threw the rabbit towards the other man who caught it grudgingly.

Much looked down at the prey in his hands with a still annoyed expression, but didn't say anything else, instead moving into the direction of the camp that was set up some distance away, though still in view of the two men.

Robin watched him leaving with a grin, a fairly new expression for the recent time. He had felt somewhat bitter, disappointed at the very least, ever since Marian had returned to the castle, on Guy of Gisborne's horse even more so. The gang had at first tried to cheer him up, but even Much had given up on that after Robin had barked at him the other day for something not even Robin was able to remember now. They had left Robin by himself today, only Much had sat down near him as the man had started unnecessary practice on his accuracy in archery. He knew he needed no practice, just relief.

His mood had lifted, but it wasn't just because of the arrows hitting their mark. He had finally decided to go to Nottingham later that day. He knew that yesterday would have been a good day to see Marian, too, as it had been market day, but then she had certainly been accompanied by a guard, and Robin much preferred seeing her alone, even if it was more difficult to get to her inside the castle.

Robin strode over to the tree he had used for target practice, pulling out the arrows one by one and putting them back into his quiver after brief examination to ensure that they were still intact. He looked over to the camp and considered briefly leaving for Nottingham immediately, without any long discussion about it with the others. Having made his decision, he turned on the spot, securing quiver and bow on his back. He had barely made five steps before Much called after him.

"Where are you going?"

Robin didn't stop walking, although his hope to sneak away undetected was now apparently dashed. "I'll be back soon," he called back, hastening his step.

"You aren't going to get yourself into trouble, are you?" Much asked loudly and Robin could hear the crunching of his movements through the thicket, showing the man was following him.

"No," Robin said in a low voice, coming to a stop a second later. He turned and saw that Much had almost come up to him. His friend stopped walking, too.

"Much, listen," Robin began insistently. "I want to go and see Marian. Alone."

"You can't go to Nottingham, alone," Much declared, sounding uneasy. "I'm going to come and..."

"Much," Robin shook his head.

"... and Djaq and Will and John can come, too!"

Robin grimaced. "I want to see her, alone. Do you understand that?"

Much looked at him blankly for a moment, before he nodded slowly. "I do."

Robin nodded as well.

"But I don't like it! There's the sheriff, there's Gisborne, there's-"

"They've always been there, Much."

"There's Allan!"

Robin grumbled. "He's not a threat to me." He turned to go again. "I'm going alone." His tone made clear that he wouldn't dispute this any longer. He hurried on, hoping it would discourage Much from following him further, not that anything had discouraged the man from following Robin thousands of miles to the Holy Land and back.

He marched on, careful not to look back. After a while, he couldn't hear anyone behind him anymore. Only the sounds of the forest itself reached his ears now. Even the singing of the birds seemed fairly loud now, once he was alone and no other people were there to drown them out.

He made it to Nottingham in good time. Sneaking into the town had become pretty much of a routine, especially when he was alone. Getting into the castle and up to Marian's chamber was a little trickier, however. He assumed that she used the same quarters now as she had used before she came to stay with him in the forest. She had left almost all of her belongings and he guessed that nobody had removed them from her room, so it was only natural she would have been accommodated there again, after Gisborne had 'rescued' her from the clutches of the outlaws.

Robin had to duck quickly behind a large pile of wood when a group of guards marched out of the side portal that he had designed as his way into the castle. They stopped in the castle yard, and were soon joined by more men. Robin kept his head down, lest any of the men forgot their discipline and cast a glance at the stack behind which Robin was hiding. Once he was fairly certain that no more men would exit the portal as no more footsteps could be heard, he leapt over the pile and quickly skittered out of view into the building. Always keeping an eye out for a possible place to hide, he didn't encounter anyone on his way.

Then he was at Marian's door. No guards were there to be seen either. He stopped and listened, but wasn't able to hear anything through the heavy door, although it was quiet in the corridor.

Robin was suddenly apprehensive. He wondered whether he should knock and announce himself first. He didn't quite understand why he was almost shy now. He had been hiding in Marian's bed at a time when she had been barely civil towards him. Now they were engaged.

He knocked, glancing around in the hallway at the same time. Nobody was there and neither did he get any answer from inside the room. Of course he should have expected that Marian wasn't there all the time; he could never be certain she would be around when he came to visit, unless he had told her beforehand that he planned to come, or when he was sneaking in at night. But thinking about it he figured he wouldn't even be certain then because he guessed that the Nightwatchman was still very much active, if he judged Marian's enthusiasm to participate in the outlaw's activities correctly.

He opened the door as quietly as possible, but found it creaking. He was soon confirmed in the guess that Marian was not there. He moved through the room, looking from left to right. Some clothes were lying on her bed, and there were several small signs that promised her soon return. Robin walked to the sole window of the room, pondering whether to wait for Marian or return later, and looked down into the castle yard. The troops he had seen earlier were still standing there. It was a moment later that a man clad in black caught Robin's sight.

Guy of Gisborne walked to a spot in front of the soldiers, coming to a stop there. He turned to them and waited another moment until he was certain to have their attention.

"I have sent out men to search for Lady Marian. We are to join them and search the forest. I want you to find her," he ordered in a voice that carried over the whole castle yard and up to the window where Robin was watching and listening. He wondered what Guy was talking about, a fear slowly rising in him. "Bring her back to the castle safely. If you can kill any of Hood's men, do so, but don't risk Lady Marian's life in exchange." The soldiers acknowledged their understanding of the orders.

Robin watched uneasily. They were looking for Marian. So she wasn't in the castle anymore. The first idea, the first hope he came to cherish with this realization was that she had returned to the forest, to live at the camp again. Maybe she had indeed changed her mind.

She had originally returned to Nottingham because she thought she could do more for their cause there. Robin hadn't liked it. He still didn't like it, but he could not help wondering about her sudden change of heart. If she had really gone back into the forest, that was, as he couldn't be sure of that.

Robin stepped away from the window, leaning against the stonewall beside it, looking over the room. Its appearance promised that Marian would come back there any moment. She apparently hadn't packed, hadn't tidied up. Robin knew that Marian could be impulsive, but the idea that she would have decided to leave for the forest from one moment to the other without any preparations seemed odd in his mind. She certainly hadn't said goodbye to Gisborne, Robin thought with slight amusement.

Pushing himself away from the wall, he walked around the room, glancing around for any hint as to where Marian had gone. There wasn't any to be found by him. As he had assessed before, it all seemed like she would enter the room any second. Robin knew that Marian was hiding the clothes of the Nightwatchman somewhere, although he was not sure that she was actually keeping them in her room. He didn't believe he would be able to discover them easily and if he did not, he couldn't be certain at all that they were not hidden somewhere else. So he had no simple way to find out if Marian was away on Nightwatchman business, or if there was another reason for her long absence. She had certainly been gone long enough for Guy to go and get a search organized.

With a last look into the room Robin left, closing the door quietly behind him. The hallway was still empty. As he moved quickly through the corridors, he wondered if Gisborne had already searched Marian's room closely. It certainly didn't look as if he had sent any servant in there to clean up.

Movements on the left made Robin draw back around a corner and he watched as the man walked up to where he was hiding. At the last moment, Robin jumped forward and placed himself in the man's way. Allan stopped dead.

"What is Gisborne up to?" Robin asked in a low tone, giving the man no time for a reaction to his sudden appearance.

"He's looking for Marian, " Allan said quickly, backing away almost indiscernible. "Not being funny, but if you know where she is, you better tell Guy. And fast. He's taking guards out to search the forest and the surrounding villages for her."

Robin's expression grew a little darker. "Not everybody's keen to give information to Gisborne."

Allan frowned. "Just saying. If he combs the forest, he might find other things as well, you know."

"Is that a threat?" Robin's voice was fierce now, stepping closer to the other man.

Allan held up his hands. "Maybe I can tell you one thing or another," he offered and after a moment Robin relaxed somewhat and crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking expectantly. Allan glanced around but nobody else was in the corridor. Still, he motioned Robin to follow him and after a moment's suspicious hesitation, Robin did so. Allan worked up a rusty door in the hallway Robin had come from moments earlier and went inside, pulling Robin with him.

"Now what?" Robin wanted to know, still wary of the situation.

"I saw her last night," Allan said, leaning apparently casually against a wall, but Robin noticed that the man was still tense.

He nodded, curious now as to what the other had to say. "Where was she going?"

Allan shrugged. "I don't know. She didn't tell me... not being funny, but it's not like she's letting me in on her plans. Anyway, she was him, the Nightwatchman, you know."

"Did she say anything?"

"Nothing of consequence."

"So what's going on here? What is Gisborne doing?" Robin demanded.

"He's looking for her. He wanted to see her this morning, but didn't find her. He started asking around, but nobody has seen her."

"Save for you."

"Well, Guy doesn't know that. I could hardly tell him-"

"Do you have any idea where she could have gone?" Robin urged, unwilling to hear about the things Allan would do or not do.

The man shook his head. "I've got no clue. Guy thinks you've kidnapped her again."

"Again?"

Allan waved Robin's objection away. "Sheriff's put that idea into his head."

Robin scrutinized Allan for a few more moments before he turned without another word and opened the door, walking out into the corridor. The thoughts were spinning in his head. Marian had gone off as the Nightwatchman again. He hadn't been able to confirm that possibility sooner, but now he could be quite sure of it, if he was to trust Allan's words for once.

It contradicted the idea that she had simply decided to return to the forest. It meant she wasn't back from whatever mission she had planned to accomplish. Unlike Robin, Guy couldn't know about that, so for him there was no explanation as to where she could have gone. For him, she had simply vanished.

Robin hurried to get out of the castle, wondering what to do. He could return to the forest and wait. Maybe Marian would actually go there. Or he could ask around, find out if anyone had seen the Nightwatchman. He just didn't know where to start asking. He had no idea at all what Marian's plan had been. Chances were she would be back soon, but on the other hand he didn't think she would intentionally risk returning late and being missed at the castle. Robin didn't know what to think.

He slowed down as he heard the noise of several people coming from the crossing corridor. The clang of metal on metal told him that they were armed and he retreated into the shadows. A few seconds later he saw the sheriff walking by, surrounded by several of his guards. The men were gone quickly and Robin didn't bother to follow. He had always considered the sheriff the greatest danger to Marian when she was at the castle, as he would be able to figure out that she was more dangerous than a love-sick, though cruel, puppy as Guy would understand. If the sheriff had anything to do with Marian's disappearance though, Gisborne wouldn't be riding out to search her. At least Robin guessed as much, although he wasn't quite sure about the degree of mutual confidence between the Master-At-Arms and the sheriff.

* * *

Much had let Robin only reluctantly go alone. He didn't like it at all. Sure, Robin had gone to Nottingham and other places on his own often enough. But just as often had he gotten himself into trouble when he had been alone.

Much could have followed him, but Robin would have been stubborn, would have told Much to stay in the forest again. And at the end of the day, maybe Robin really needed some time alone to see Marian, as little as Much like the possibility of trouble. Nevertheless, he trusted Robin, so he had decided to trust that Robin knew what he was doing and wouldn't risk the gang's well-being, including Much's, by risking his life.

So he had taken the uncomfortable task on himself to tell the others that Robin had left. They had not been much surprised, though they did not appear very happy about it either. Then he had gone to prepare the rabbit Robin had shot, although he hadn't really been in the mood for it. On the one hand, he was certainly looking forward to a meal with at least a few pieces of rabbit for everyone, but on the other hand, he was worried for Robin and that was damping his appetite. He figured they would have to wait with supper until Robin returned anyway.

Late in the afternoon there was still no sign of the outlaw. Much admitted to himself though, that Robin would naturally need some time to come back, if he had gone to Nottingham as planned, even more so if he was going to spend time with Marian. Still, Much hoped Robin wouldn't let them wait too long.

It was still some time before the break of dusk when Djaq and Will decided to go and hunt some more meat for their supper. Much argued for a while that they had enough already and that they should stay together at the camp, but to no avail, the two had vanished out of sight before he had even finished his argument.

He had turned to continue arguing with Little John, but didn't receive much response from the man which let the discussion fade out rather soon. Slightly irritated, he had finally marched off to collect some cowberries that were supposed to go well with rabbit. He had to find some berries first, of course, but believed to remember a spot where he had seen bushes growing the fruit the other day. After a short walk he rediscovered the place and started picking the berries. At first the majority of them wandered into his mouth, before he began to fill a small bag he had with him.

It was when Much was crouching down to collect some of the red berries from the lower branches that he could hear the sound of people moving through the forest not far away from him. He didn't think for a moment that it could be Robin returning to camp because he knew that Robin would never make this kind of noise when coming through the woods. Much stayed down at the forest ground and glanced through the brushwork, trying to get a view of whoever was approaching instead.

When the men finally came into sight, Much froze. The tall man clad in black leather was unmistakable, even from the distance. Gisborne moved in front of his guards, his eyes scouting the forest and Much had only one thought: Guy was looking for the outlaws' camp.

He wondered for a moment why Robin was not there when he needed him the most, but then had the terrible vision of Robin having been caught and having been forced to tell Guy the location of the camp. Much jumped up. There was no time to lose; he had to warn the others that Gisborne was coming.

There was a shout behind him and he knew he had been sighted. He rushed through the underbrush, but the next moment he stopped dead, reconsidering. Robin would never tell Guy where the camp was, not even under torture, Much was sure about that. Maybe Guy didn't know where the camp was, but was only looking for it. If that was the case, he mustn't return to the camp. Otherwise he might even lead the sheriff's henchman there.

Much turned and darted into the opposite direction, away from the camp. He had to stop Gisborne from learning of its location. If the man ever found it, they would have to leave the camp behind, including all the comfort it offered compared to sleeping on the bare grounds. They wouldn't even be able to take all of their provisions with them. Much couldn't let this happen.

He heard more calls behind him. At least they would be following him now, he hoped, and he would lead them away from the camp. And if they caught him, he would never tell them where the camp was. He would say he didn't know where it was. And if they asked him where Robin was, he wouldn't know that either.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The first thing she noticed was that she was lying on very uncomfortable, very hard ground. Living in the forest had never been comparable to the state of comfort she still enjoyed at the castle. Still, it was unusual to sleep on quite as hard ground as Marian felt herself lying on now. As she became more awake, she realized it was a stony floor. Her hand moved over the rough surface, as she slowly opened her eyes. There was complete darkness about her, but she remembered that she was back at the castle, wasn't anywhere in the forest.

She lifted her head and propped herself up on her arms. Her head was throbbing and her back aching, but she figured it wasn't much of a surprise after lying on the hard floor for who knew how long.

She felt around with her hands and soon touched a cold stone wall behind her. She continued feeling the ground, but only found the same stone surface there. Then she remembered the bag she had taken with her when she had left her chambers earlier that night. She actually could not be sure it was still night at all, despite the darkness, as she did not know how long she had been there. Or where she even was. She swallowed at the idea of being trapped somewhere that let no daylight in and offered no way out.

Marian felt for the bag that was fastened on her belt. After she managed to get it open, she found the pieces she needed. She hoped she would be able to light a torch that would offer her a glimpse at her surroundings. Working in the darkness didn't make it any easier than the task was under normal circumstances. She labored for a few minutes, stopping several times when she thought she heard sounds other than the ones she was making. Then the torch caught fire and a soft, shaky light filled the stone corridor Marian was able to see now. The ceiling was low. As she stood up, she could almost touch it with her fingers. Some feet away, in the direction of where she had originally found herself, she could see a large hole in the ceiling. She walked there to examine it, understanding dawning on her that she had fallen through it when she had ran from being detected in the lower levels of the castle.

At the place where she was standing now the ceiling proved to be not low enough for her to reach it. If she had been able to do so, she might have been able to pull herself up at the edge of the hole, but there was no such hope now. Looking around she saw that the corridor led into blackness in both directions once the light reached its limits for her eyes.

She could call for help. Maybe someone would come along the corridor above and hear her. They would be able to help her out of her predicament. But then it was not simply Marian they would find, but the Nightwatchman. The clothes she was wearing were far too tell-tale for the situation. Of course, she could always remove the disguise and hide it. But even then she would have a hard time explaining what she was doing down there in her undergarments. She could pretend that she had been attacked, that she had been forced to flee without heavier clothing to protect her from the cold, and that she had fallen on her run. It was a story she would be able to tell, as she had made up so many excuses before. Still, they would question who attacked her, and why no one had heard or seen anything. Not only that, but being found by unknown guards or other men, in a situation like this, wasn't a good idea, despite how convincingly she could tell the story... No, she would have to find a way out on her own.

She checked out the corridor in both directions, knowing that her torch would not last long. After unsuccessfully trying to gauge the right direction for the shortest way out of the castle, she picked the one that seemed to lead somewhat downwards and hurried along it.

The further she went, the dimmer the light she was carrying became, and soon the torch would expire. Still, it was preferable to the darkness she would have had to deal with if she hadn't been able to make the fire in the first place. The corridor's design didn't change. The ground and the walls were of rough stone and the ceiling was still low. Marian wondered where it was leading her. She certainly had to be on the lowest level of the castle; at the same level as the dungeons were, as far as she could tell. She didn't believe it to be some kind of escape from the dungeons though. The sheriff would have made sure it was closed if ever a prisoner had escaped this way.

Marian wasn't sure how long she had been running, when the light was suddenly gone. The fire had expired. She slowed down then. She had seen a clear way ahead before it had become dark, but she could never be sure that it stayed this way and she didn't need another painful surprise as the one she had experienced in the hallway one level above.

She kept close to the stone wall and walked carefully, testing each step before she put weight on it. Her progress was much slower this way, and she briefly considered lightning another fire, but as the tinder she had in her bag was nearly gone she decided to preserve it in case she really needed it later. After all, she didn't have any idea how long the tunnel would go on till it lead to an exit, or if there was even an exit at all.

She wondered how long she would be able to go on, how long she would actually be willing to keep going. When would be the time to decide that she wasn't getting anywhere and that it was better to turn and go back to face either being found out as the Nightwatchman or in an otherwise very uncomfortable situation? She wasn't even sure how much time had passed since she had left her chamber. If it was still at night, she probably wasn't being missed yet. If it was already the next day, it would be different. Guy would certainly want to see her. He wouldn't be able to find her and then the question would be how long it would take until he started an actual search for her.

One could not be certain he would do any such thing at all, although Marian guessed that Guy wouldn't shrug off her disappearance. Maybe he would think she had decided to leave Nottingham again, but then he would find that she hadn't taken her personal belongings from her room. Still, who would guess that she was down here? How long would it take until Robin noticed that something was wrong? He had no way of knowing after all. Anything could happen to her and he would most likely only learn of it later. She had always had to face that risk, living in the castle, working in secret against the sheriff.

Marian stopped for a few moments, listening intently for any sounds. There were none. The tunnel was completely still. Dark and silent. She tried to feel if there was any movement of the air, anything that could hint at a draft from outside, but there was none either. So she moved on, still measuring every step she took.

* * *

In the end, Robin had decided to return to the camp as quickly as possible. If Marian was seeking refuge anywhere, it would be there, so it was a likely location to find her. There was no reason to believe that she had actually vanished from the face of the earth.

Robin trotted lightly through the forest, staying parallel to the main road. He was still within earshot of it though, so he would notice the approach of any horses, but nobody traveling through would be able to see him from there.

The day was coming to a close and Robin knew that if Marian wasn't at the camp, which was a possibility that had regained probability in his mind after he had left Nottingham behind, there wasn't much he would be able to do until tomorrow.

In the morning he and his men would be able to go to the villages around Nottingham and ask about Marian. After all, this wasn't such a bad plan of action. Robin reminded himself that Marian could take care of herself. And the fact that Gisborne didn't seem to know where she had gone was definitely not a bad sign.

At first he heard only the singing of the forest birds, but then the sound of hooves falling on the ground became more distinct and Robin knew that horses were coming along the road. He moved closer to it, still taking care not to be seen. The clearing that the road provided gave him a good view of anyone coming along. After a few seconds the first riders appeared, followed by more soon after. Robin recognized them easily. They were the same men he had seen leaving the castle under Gisborne's orders earlier that day. He wondered where they had spent the meantime.

Another horse came along the road and he saw Gisborne hastening his animal to catch up with the other men. Robin frowned and hurried along to keep the men in sight. He was lucky that the road did not go straight through the forest, so he was able to take some short cuts while the riders had to go the longer way. Still, he was out of breath, trying to keep up with the men, when he realized that they were getting closer and closer to the outlaw's camp.

As long as they did not leave the road, they would never find it. Will had naturally made sure that it wasn't this easy to find their hiding place. Robin shook his head. It was just as natural that people would come by this close on their way through the forest. It didn't mean that Gisborne had any idea about the location of the camp. Still, Robin sometimes worried that Allan would betray the location. He wasn't able to trust the man although Allan had to know that Robin would kill him if he ever dared to go so far in his betrayal.

It was then that Robin noticed the riders slowing down. They almost came to a complete stop and he saw Gisborne once again taking the lead. He seemed to be talking to his men, but Robin was too far away to understand what he said. An uneasy feeling was coming up inside of him.

Gisborne and the guards had already passed the point from that the shortest way to camp led. But for Robin's taste they were not far enough away yet to be simply left scouring the forest. The camp was well hidden from the eye, if it was closed off and one did not know where to look for it. But with the lads unaware of the danger, not even the traps they had set would make sure the camp stayed undetected, if one knew exactly where one was going... Allan's face from earlier that day was dancing in Robin's mind. Had the man played him again?

A small group of guards followed Gisborne off the road and deeper into the forest. They were still on their horses, though now moving at a much slower pace. Robin had no trouble keeping up with them now, although he needed to be more careful to stay out of sight of the now several groups of men searching the woods.

Then there was a sudden shout from one of the men. Another call followed and Robin could understand what Gisborne was yelling.

"Get him!"

Confused, Robin wondered who they were talking about because they didn't mean him, as far as he could tell. He didn't see anybody else who might be prey for the guards, but the men charged ahead and Robin hurried after them.

Then he saw him. The man was running hard through the brushwork, trying to vanish from sight, and it was unmistakably Much. Robin's heart beat faster as he hurried his pace even more, the guards getting closer to his friend. He was hoping that maybe the horses would stumble on the uneven ground, but they stayed on their feet.

"Stop!" he cried in the next moment, before he even knew what he was doing. "Gisborne!"

Two of the men actually stopped and turned to see who was shouting behind them, but the others kept charging ahead. Robin pulled the bow from his back in the course of a moment, the arrow following swiftly and a split-second later the first of the two men who had come to a halt was falling from his horse. The second man was on the ground little later, and Robin leapt forward to reach the men who were still chasing Much.

His throat pulled tight as he saw that he was too late. A circle of men had surrounded his friend. Gisborne had his eyes fixed on him while another man turned and saw his fallen comrades, alerting the others to the situation. Gisborne looked away from Much and spotted Robin approaching.

"Stay back," the sheriff's man warned him and Robin lifted his bow with one hand, showing there was no arrow sitting ready. He was caught up by the fact of the swords that were being held at Much.

"Where's Marian?" Gisborne called, still looking at Robin.

"I don't know. You tell me," Robin offered wearily.

"Where is she?" the other man demanded, a few notches louder now, his look turning to Much.

Much shook his head, glancing nervously at the blades in front of him. "I don't know."

"Maybe you, Gisborne, could spare us all the trouble and tell us what you know?" Robin suggested, still wondering if Marian was safe and sound somewhere with a perfectly reasonable explanation. Maybe they were all just overreacting.

"I?" Guy asked coldly. "Where are you hiding her? What have you done to her?" His voice was getting fiercer with each word he spoke.

"Look who's talking," Robin retorted. It was irritating him how Gisborne assumed the outlaw knew anything about Marian. It was Gisborne who was seeking power in Nottingham, it was under Gisborne's protection Marian supposedly was. "How can she vanish under your nose? You tell me that!"

Gisborne's expression froze. The guards, who until now were mostly watching the exchange between Guy and Robin, looked to their master expectantly. Guy slid from his horse, not letting his gaze on Robin waver at all. Pulling out his sword, he strode over to the man slowly. Much stared at the sheriff's man increasingly uneasy.

Guy stopped a few paces away from Robin.

"How do you know Marian disappeared?" he asked icily.

Robin held his gaze. "As you're looking for her, I assume you don't know where she is. And if I remember correctly, you actually heavily implied that you don't know. Unless of course, you're just trying to hide your tracks, pretend you have no idea," he added grimly.

He didn't think it likely. Nobody would question Gisborne about Marian's whereabouts. After the death of her father she didn't have any protector left. It was already clear that the sheriff didn't trust Marian and that he would happily dispose of her. Yet, as far as Robin could tell, it was only Vaysey's twisted sense of enjoyment in seeing Gisborne's obsessive infatuation with Marian that had kept him from doing so.

Maybe Vaysey had acted now after all. Robin felt cold at that thought.

Gisborne had come closer, holding the sword pointed at Robin. "Where is she?"

"I told you, I don't know," Robin responded, his expression showing his annoyance.

"Maybe you'll tell me if I cut up your little friend." Gisborne turned his head to the guards. "Kill him," he ordered simply.

Robin acted in the course of a moment. Stringing his bow, he aimed an arrow at Gisborne. "Don't move, or he dies."

Robin focused on his aim. He knew the situation was dire. They could easily kill Much and he would only have one go for revenge, only one chance to kill Gisborne, before they would get Robin, too.

It was a fight that nobody would win.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Marian had long since started to wonder why she hadn't taken any more provisions with her. Of course, usually she wasn't away for very long, but if she had reason to take equipment to make a fire, she had just as good reason to take food. She only had a small flask of water that was already empty by now.

She didn't know how long she had been walking. She was weary on her feet, but she hadn't been overcome by tiredness yet, so she guessed it couldn't be more than a few hours. She knew what it meant though. She would have to keep going until she reached an exit as she wouldn't be able to make her way back through the darkness. She couldn't imagine that the tunnel would go on for very much longer, as its appearance had clearly told her that it was made by men and although men had also built the castle in its whole magnitude, she just didn't believe that they would be able to build a tunnel that went on forever.

She thought at first that her eyes were deceiving her, but then she realized that it was indeed getting lighter in the tunnel. She was now able to see the surface of the wall she was walking along. The further she went, the more light came in. She could now clearly make out the ground and see where she was going. She also noticed that the walls seemed to become rougher. Their appearance changed drastically and Marian realized that this part of the tunnel wasn't man-made, but had been created by nature.

The ground became uneven as well. Large stones made the way more difficult. Marian walked around them or climbed over the smaller ones. Then the tunnel ended and she realized to what kind of location it had led her to.

It was a cave, reminding her of the one the outlaws had camped at the previous year. Back then Robin had carried her to it after Guy had stabbed the Nightwatchman, not knowing it was her. It wasn't the same location though. The passageway had led her from the depths of the castle into this natural tunnel that the cave was part of. Looking around, she wondered who had built it. She could imagine that there had been attempts to mine here, to find metals, but was curious as to who might have dug a tunnel leading all the way out here.

Marian moved along and soon reached the exit of the cave. The sun stood high over the horizon, so it had to be midday. The forest outside clearly wasn't the same place the cave had reminded her of. It felt oddly familiar though.

By now she was tired and her stomach was complaining. It had long been time to break the fast. Marian frowned at the thought. It wasn't the first time she had gone without a morning meal. Stupid it certainly was that she had not taken any food with her although she had plenty available at the castle.

Her view fell on her clothes, the masquerade she was still wearing. The Nightwatchman helped the poor. The hungry. How could she feel bad about missing one meal? The outlaws in the forest were not always very well fed either. Marian remembered well how Robin had thinned during the last winter. The outlaws had stocks, but even those would be empty at some point, so they had taken care with their rations. Marian got everything she needed at the castle. This wasn't the reason why she had chosen to go back there, and had not stayed in the forest, but she could not deny that it was what enabled her to do what she did – just as the comfort of her childhood home had done until its destruction. And the information she gained at the castle, the influence she had on Guy, still hoping to change him for the better, none of this would be if she had stayed in the forest with Robin, as much as she might have wanted it.

Marian stopped when she reached a small brook and filled up her empty flask. She drank and filled it once again, before moving on. It slowly dawned on her where she was. She knew this part of the forest. It was close to Knighton. She used to come there and play as a girl, and this was probably the same brook into which she had placed small ships made out of sticks and leaves, following them downstream. She could not remember having ever seen the cave, but when she was small, she had never gone far from her home. Still, she guessed that she would reach Knighton soon.

* * *

Gisborne knew he could kill him. Hood would have only one shot before he would be able to plunge his sword between the archer's ribs, and his friend would die with him, cut down by the guards. But Guy also knew that any knowledge about where they had hidden Marian would die with the outlaws. As little as he liked it, he would have to keep at least Robin alive for now.

The man might be aiming an arrow at him, but Guy wasn't afraid of it. The outlaw wasn't perfect. He was certainly a good shot, but even he sometimes missed his aim, Guy was sure about that. But if he hit Guy, then it was to be so. There was no way Guy would step back and allow the outlaw to do whatever he wanted. He would take Marian back to Nottingham, no matter the cost.

He didn't believe for a moment that the outlaws didn't know anything about Marian's disappearance. The fact that they knew about it at all was proof enough for his suspicion. He had to get the information out of them. There were methods, certainly, once he would have them back at the castle, but then these methods didn't always bring reliable results. And when it came to finding Marian, he didn't have any time to waste. No, he needed to find another way. He had to fathom what Hood wanted; there had to be something.

"Back off," he ordered the guards and he could hear the clinging of their armor as they retreated slightly. It wouldn't take them more than a second to move onto the man again, but it was a signal to the outlaw in front of Guy. He looked at Robin, lifting his eyebrows.

"What do you want?"

"I want to know where Marian is," Robin answered in a low voice. Guy cursed on the inside that the outlaw still kept up the pretense of knowing nothing.

"Where do you think she could be?" he tested the waters, hoping the man would betray information that he otherwise wouldn't be ready to give.

"I don't know," Robin frowned deeply. "As I told you: she seems to have vanished under your nose, so you've got to have a better idea than I."

Guy clenched his fists, fastening his hold on his sword's handle. It was like a punch in the stomach to be reminded of the fact that Hood had managed to take Marian from inside the castle, where his guards and he were keeping an observant watch on her. He still didn't know how it had happened, but it wasn't the first time Robin had gotten in and out of the castle unseen.

"Where did you take her?" he asked, his anger rising once again at the idea.

"I told you, it wasn't me," Robin said in an irritating voice. "And I guess we can go on and have this discussion until the sun comes down, but it sure won't make Marian reappear."

"I can take you and your little friend to the dungeons and you can have a long, painful discussion with the dungeon's master."

Robin looked at him coldly, but undisturbed. "You could do that. At least it would get all of us out of this forest and maybe closer to actually finding out where Marian is."

"What were you planning on doing?" Guy asked with a smirk, almost ready to implement the idea to have the guards seize the other outlaw, while he took down Robin himself.

"I thought about asking around in the villages," Robin declared openly. "But it's not really an option for you, is it? It's not like the villagers would voluntarily talk to you," he added with a smirk that matched Guy's.

"I can make them talk!"

Robin's smirk became even wider. "Sure. Go and torture every single villager around here. It will surely make anybody who actually knows anything useful come out and tell you about it gladly."

Guy didn't like it, but he had to admit that this wasn't the right method. The people didn't trust him. He didn't need their trust, he was their master, of Locksley at the least, but it didn't make it easy to get the information he needed in a timely manner. If the villagers knew anything at all that was. He still suspected that Robin was bluffing and that he had actually hidden Marian somewhere, maybe at the outlaw's camp. He still had to smoke them out of their hiding place.

"Then you go and ask them." It had been a suggestion that had been hard to voice, but maybe the outlaw would go for it.

Robin seemed to consider him for a moment. "Let Much go."

Guy signaled his guards to draw back even further.

Robin turned his head to look at the other outlaw, but didn't take his aim away from Guy. "Much, go back to the camp."

"But-" the other man started.

"Now," Robin insisted, and Guy chuckled lowly as the other man scrambled away, looking back at Robin every few steps.

Robin turned to look back at Guy, still keeping the arrow pointed at him. "Now you go and get on your horses. I'm going to go to the villages and ask around. I'll send you a message if I find out anything."

Guy didn't trust this promise for a second. The outlaw had no motivation to keep it at all. There was no reason for him to help Guy find Marian. It could only mean that he was trying to throw Guy off his trace. It was then the Master-at-Arms realized that he should have kept the other outlaw captive to force Robin to cooperate.

"How do I know I can trust you?" he asked, feeling the pointlessness of the question, as another plan formed in his mind.

"You can't," Robin said simply. "But Marian can." He walked backwards slowly, still keeping his aim. "But if you've done anything to her, you can trust that I'll make you pay for it." He turned away quickly, jumping into the thickness of the bushes and ran off.

As soon as the man had turned around, Guy was certain that he had tricked them. The fact that Hood insolently dared to pretend to care for Marian at all only increased Guy's anger.

"Get him!" he bellowed.

The guards charged forward, while Guy quickly remounted his horse. His men followed Robin through the bush, an area that could not be treaded on horseback. Guy had no choice but to be wait, and hope for the best, while he was riding back to the main road. He could hear the noise of battle and guessed that one or two of the guards would die at the hands of Hood, but that didn't matter in the large picture. He would get his answers from the man.

It didn't take long until his men dragged the outlaw onto the main trail where Guy was waiting. One of them was carrying the man's bow and quiver, and walked ahead to meet Guy.

"Jones is dead," he explained, showing Hood's weapons to the Master-at-Arms.

Guy nodded. Only one then; better odds than he had thought. He looked at Robin coldly, getting off his horse again. He wouldn't let that man take Marian away from him again. He would make him talk, would make him pay, even if it was the last thing he would do.

He approached the outlaw who was being held by two of the guards.

"Where is she?" Guy's tone would leave nobody in a doubt about how serious he was.

"You're a fool," Robin replied.

Guy took a swing and his leather-clad fist hit the man's face. "Where are you hiding her?" Another punch landed in the outlaw's stomach and the man groaned. "Is she even still alive?" Guy hissed as he hit again, rage running through him.

"You're as dumb as a rock," Robin spat. "I told you! I don't know where she is. You're wasting the time of both of us that we could use to find her-" He was interrupted as Guy punched him again.

It felt good. It felt very good to let the frustration out. He needed Marian. He wanted her and here was the man who was trying to keep him from her, again and again. Letting off steam wasn't the point of this exercise, but still, it was just too liberating. If he only could get the outlaw to talk. Guy took another swing. Marian was waiting for him. She was waiting for him to get her away from men like the one in front of him. As he was about to hit again, he noticed that Robin had lost consciousness. Guy gritted his teeth, the walls of frustration coming back as he realized that he wouldn't get any answers out of the man for now.

"Take him to Locksley," he told the guards who were still holding Hood tight, as if he might wake and run any moment.

He needed the time to question the outlaw without the sheriff's interference. Vaysey would only want to play his games, not caring whether Marian was found or not. So Guy would interrogate the outlaw in Locksley, make him tell of his latest crime. The sheriff could have the man later, could hang him or whatever he desired to do with Hood then. And if Guy had to search every square inch of this forest to discover the outlaw's camp and find Marian, he would do so, too.

As he remounted his horse and saw his guards dragging Robin away, he wondered for a moment if the outlaw had really taken Marian captive. He had done so before. But then his whole demeanor seemed unusual. Guy would expect Robin in his arrogance to brag about having captured her. Guy flinched in anger at the thought. Robin hadn't done this though, was actually denying knowing anything at all. Still, Guy knew he needed to have a plan for all possibilities. He had the outlaw in his hands now, a feat the sheriff would appreciate, too, and he would make him talk.

Still, he would also ensure that Nottingham was searched thoroughly, more thoroughly even than the men he had sent out in the morning would have done. Maybe Marian was still somewhere around the castle. All kinds of things could have happened. It was always dangerous for a young woman like her to live in an area like that, with criminals and outlaws alike around, although Guy usually thought that anybody would have to know of the wrath that was coming for them, if they dared to harm her, while under his protection.

He hurried his horse, knowing he would be in Locksley before nightfall.

* * *

Much had heard what Robin said. But Robin often said things that he surely didn't mean because if he really meant them, they would only lead him into trouble. Much had learned that he needed to decide for himself what had to be done. So this time, after using the opportunity to get away from Gisborne's men, he had easily made the decision that going back to camp without checking that Robin would get away, too, was wrong, no matter what Robin had said.

He'd hurried away from the guards, taking to the bushes and hiding there. While he could not be seen anymore, he could still make out the forms of Robin and Gisborne as well as the guards', could hear them arguing and then saw Robin jumping away into the bushes. Much realized only now that he had been holding his breath.

Then he heard Gisborne's bellowed order to catch Robin. Much leapt forward, not knowing where to go, having lost sight of Robin himself. He could hear people fighting and headed into the direction the noise came from. He wasn't quick enough. Moments later he could see the guards dragging Robin off to the main road.

Much watched in horror as Gisborne stepped in front of Robin, the man being held by the guards. Much wasn't able to understand what the Master-at-Arms said, but the man's body language spoke very clearly of the danger of the situation.

Then Gisborne hit Robin and Much flinched. More punches followed and Much was hurting with every one of them. If he had returned to camp as Robin had said, he wouldn't have witnessed this scene, but then he wouldn't even know about it, wouldn't know that Robin was in deep trouble. As Gisborne hit Robin again, Much got ready to take desperate measures.

Then he saw Robin slacken in the guards' arms and thought his heart was coming to a stop. Gisborne ceased beating the outlaw. Much stood nailed to the spot, even his desperate plan dashed. He wouldn't be able to take down the men and get Robin to safety at the same time. If his friend wasn't conscious, he wasn't able to run... Much swallowed, hoping that it was really only unconsciousness that had befallen the man.

Moments later the guards dragged Robin away, lifting and securing him on a horse then, before riding off. Much watched helplessly, realizing he wouldn't be able to do this alone, as much as he wanted to. He knew they would take Robin to Nottingham. They always did. Every single time he got himself in trouble. Much had to get help.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

It was well after darkness had fallen when Much arrived at the camp. The gang still had a small fire burning and Djaq and Will were sitting close to it, both of them sleepily watching the flames. John was nowhere to be seen as Much hastened up to them.

"Robin!" he called out, coming to a stop. He had run the entire way, caught both between a longing to go after Robin himself and knowing that he needed the help. The others looked up to watch him coming up to them now, unaware of the danger his master was in. "They caught him!"

"What?" Will asked, rising to his feet.

"Marian…" Much brought out, trying to calm his breath.

"Marian was caught, too?" Djaq questioned.

"No," Much shook his head violently. "I mean, they don't know where she is."

At this moment John emerged from the darkness. "Who is they?"

"Gisborne... and Robin."

Djaq shook her head slowly. "Much, you need to tell us what happened."

"Gisborne caught Robin."

"Where?"

"Not far from here," Much pointed uncertainly into the darkness. "They took him away."

John grabbed his staff. "We need to find him."

Will nodded, having already reached for one of his axes.

"Where did they take him?" Djaq questioned Much who had hurriedly started to collect bows and arrows.

"To Nottingham." He straightened.

"Are you certain?" She looked at him intently.

"They always do, don't they?" Much looked from one outlaw to the next and back.

"What about Marian?" Djaq tried to clarify.

"She disappeared. Gisborne said something about it. Robin, too."

"And Robin was looking for her?"

"Gisborne was there with guards. He said he was looking for Marian, thought Robin was hiding her." The other three outlaws were following his story closely, worry expressed on their faces.

"So Gisborne caught Robin?"

"Robin saved me from Gisborne. He wanted to kill me to make Robin tell him where he's hiding Marian."

"But Robin isn't hiding Marian, is he?" Will wondered loudly.

Much shook his head again. "Robin was looking for her as well. He made Gisborne let me go, told me to return to camp. He didn't really mean that of course, not right away at least. I was going to wait for him, but Robin was going to look in the villages, and I guess Gisborne didn't like that idea."

Will nodded, waiting for Much to continue.

"They kept arguing, then Robin left, but Gisborne ordered his guards to follow him. They dragged him out onto the main road," Much's voice showed his indignation, "and Gisborne beat him. I... I wanted to do something, but then I saw that Robin was unconscious, so I knew he wouldn't be able to run, so I had to get you to help getting him out of there."

"We need to go to Nottingham," Will said matter-of-factly, looking at Djaq.

She nodded. "We should also look if we can find Marian. Maybe she can tell us what is going on, what Gisborne is doing, where he has taken Robin."

"I do not know where she is," Much stated again. "Robin did not know."

"We are going," John decided.

It was an arduous way through the forest at night. They didn't dare to light any torches least any of the guards Much had told them about was still around nearby. They moved to get out of the thick of the forest soon though, too much in a hurry than to try and fight their way through it in the darkness. Once they reached the main road, they still remained behind a line of trees at first, moving alongside the road that lay dark and silent.

Much retold the story of Robin's capture and Djaq tried to make him recall the finer details of Gisborne's and Robin's discussion. After hours of walking they stopped outside of the walls of Nottingham, trying to come up with a way into the castle. It was one thing to slip into town alone, but a whole group of them was bound to attract attention. They had gone in there many times before, but then Allan had told Gisborne and the sheriff about most of the ways inside they had been using.

So they had to wait till the first light of the day and slip into town among villagers from outside that went into town to sell their goods at the market. Pulling hoods up to shield their faces, they tried to blend in with the people. Djaq and Will led the group, while John followed after Much.

The man looked around nervously. He was not quite sure where Will and Djaq were going. The dungeons were the most logical first place to look for Robin, but Much was not sure they would be able to simply break in there. If Robin was there, the sheriff had surely arranged extra protection.

Suddenly Will stopped and Much nearly bumped into him. Djaq had come to a halt as well and turned around to the other outlaws now.

"We need to ask if anyone has seen Robin being brought here. We have to make sure he is here before we try to break into the dungeons."

Will nodded. "I think I can open the doors."

"First, we have to make sure," Djaq insisted.

"We split up," Will said, "and ask around."

"But you need to be careful," the Saracen reminded them.

Much nodded, a lump in his throat. They always needed to be careful, but Robin was important. They could not let him hang. Much swallowed at the thought of that happening and glanced into the direction of the castle yard, but none of the gallows had been readied, not today.

Much moved away from his friends, walking into the nearest alley then, uncertain as to where to go. He stepped through the garbage the narrow street was crowded with and felt somewhat trapped between the buildings on either side. He was used to living in the forest now. As much as he wanted to return to civilization, it was a wholly different feeling to have only the trees around you. Trees always left a way open for flight, walls did not.

Once Much had passed the alley, he spotted the sign of a bakery at the other side of a wider street. Deciding that he could most easily ask the baker what he wanted to know, if he also bought something in the shop, he walked up to it determinedly and stepped into the small room.

He loved the smell. When he looked at the laid-out baked goods he loved it even more. He quickly decided that he had to convince Robin to let them give some of the money they had robbed to a bakery, so they could get goods there. It was only fair. And it would certainly be a nice thing for Robin to do, after they would have saved him. This thought reminded Much of the reason he was here.

"Good man, I'd like to have two - no, five - of those rolls."

"Of course, but can you pay?" the baker responded.

Much straightened. "Of course I can. Why would I not?"

"Not many people can still afford to buy five rolls at once," the other man replied gravely. "You are not from here?"

Much stared at the man, understanding that he was only able to pay because he had a share of the money they had stolen from the sheriff. Most people were not so lucky to have enough these days.

"Uhm, no, yes, I mean," he stuttered. "I am here. Now. But I am not always here."

The other man smiled, getting five rolls for Much, but waited then and looked at the outlaw expectantly.

"Oh, yes," Much said, understanding, handing him some coins, and the baker gave him the rolls. "Thank you." He smiled. "If I may ask you a question..."

The other man's smile turned into a frown and Much realized that he wasn't good at this. Allan was good at this, the traitor. Robin was good at this as well.

"What is it?" the baker finally asked.

Much lowered his voice, glancing nervously at the door. "Is... do you know if... is there a hanging planned for this week?"

The baker's eyebrows went up. "I am not sure I understand your question. The sheriff hangs men, yes, he does, but he is not in the habit of announcing his plans to men like me."

"Yes, I understand," Much said hastily. "But there is no important prisoner in the dungeons right now, is there?"

"I have not heard of any," the other man replied carefully.

"Thank you, good sir," Much said, glancing once again at the door.

At this moment something outside seemed to erupt. There was a loud clamor and then the ringing of metal on metal. Holding his bag with the rolls tightly, Much nodded to the baker, turning to rush outside. Whatever was going on it couldn't be good. No sooner had he stepped onto the street that he could see what was happening. Will was fighting a guard. So much for their cover…

Much ran to him, securing his bag at the same time as he pulled out his sword. Will had already downed the guard though, now signaling Much to hurry along. Djaq joined them from one of the narrow alleys seconds later.

"Where's John?" Much called as they were running along the street.

"He's there," Djaq shouted back and Much looked ahead where John was battling two more guards. The other three outlaws reached the fight and soon the sheriff's men were out of their way.

"Have you found Robin?" John asked over the noise of the town as they were fleeing the uproar they had caused. Will shook his head as Djaq pulled him along.

Minutes later they were out of the town, but didn't slow down until they had brought a good distance between them and the town walls. As they finally walked slower, calming their breaths, John asked again.

"Robin is not in Nottingham?"

"Nobody has seen him," Djaq said.

"So he's not there," Will stated, with a hint of disappointment.

"But," Much intervened. "We cannot be sure!"

Will frowned. "Why not?"

"Well, if somebody has seen Robin, then we would know for sure that he was here. Just because no one has seen him, doesn't mean he isn't here…"

"Much is right. We cannot be certain Robin is not here. They could have concealed him, taken him in under the cover of darkness," Djaq agreed.

Will nodded. "I guess you are right, but what can we do about it? Our cover is blown, and no doubt the sheriff will have Allan on look-out for us. The guards we might slip by, but not him. He'll sell us out as soon as he sees us."

"What do we do then?" Much wondered quietly. He knew the one thing they weren't going to do was to give up. But at the same time, no one had any answers for him.

* * *

Robin woke up decidedly sore. He didn't feel like opening his eyes or moving around, but the hard floor he was lying on told him all too clearly that he had to. He listened intently for a few moments and as everything seemed quiet, he opened his eyes and sat up to look around. He wasn't in the mood for Gisborne's games, so the man didn't need to know that Robin was available for them again. The Master-at-Arms wasn't anywhere to be seen though.

Robin recognized the place immediately. It was a barn in Locksley. He figured that Guy had to be around somewhere, too; he wouldn't simply leave Robin to his own devices there, free to find a way out. The outlaw moved to his feet wearily. Dim light was shining through cracks in the wood the barn was made off. He saw that the door was locked, probably bolted on the outside. Gisborne had certainly arranged that.

Gisborne had probably arranged a few other things as well. He had drawn Robin into a set-up discussion about Marian's whereabouts, knowing it would work him up, knowing he would make a plan to find her, knowing his thoughts would be on her. Then he had betrayed his true intentions. Maybe Marian wasn't gone at all. She was probably safe and sound in the castle and Robin had fallen for the charade of her having vanished and Guy desperately searching for her.

Robin frowned. It didn't make any sense in his head. At the end of the day Gisborne actually seemed to believe that Marian had disappeared and that Robin was responsible for it. His act had been too convincing. So perhaps Guy actually believed it. Robin could imagine the sheriff setting up the whole thing and Guy falling for it. Enough of a fool he certainly was. The sheriff would know that nothing would motivate Guy more to catch Robin than his longing to have Marian.

Robin groaned. The sheriff had gotten what he wanted and Guy would get what he wanted, too. This realization made him feel foolish as well. Why had he even tried to cooperate with Gisborne? Why had he believed the stories? He sighed, hoping that at least Much had made it back to camp alright. As far as he could tell, Much had had enough time to disappear from Gisborne's and the guards' sight. Robin wasn't sure what the man would tell the other outlaws, not knowing how the confrontation between Robin and Guy had ended. Much would probably go for the more pessimistic scenario.

Robin moved to try the door in what he knew would be a vain attempt to open it. He would need Will's skill or John's strength here. Knowing that he had at least tried, he settled down on the bare floor, waiting. He could need some rest, as much as his head was still hurting, but right now was neither the time nor place for it. Gisborne would not be far away. It certainly felt like bitter irony to be held captive in a place that belonged to lands that were rightfully his.

Mere minutes later, he could hear sounds outside and then the door was opened.

"There he is, Sir Guy," a man said a moment later.

"Leave us," Guy ordered. "I will call you when I need you."

Robin moved to his feet as Guy stepped into the barn, and the door was closed behind him as the other man left. Then it was silent for a few moments.

"Ready to talk yet?" Gisborne finally asked.

Robin didn't react, still not ready for the game.

"Tell me where Marian is, and I may even consider killing you before I let the guards try a few other measures."

Robin rolled his eyes. "I'm tired of this game, Gisborne. You got what you wanted. The sheriff got what he wanted. No need to keep up the charade."

Gisborne tightened his fists. "You think this is a game?" he growled. "Marian might only be something to play with for you, but she actually means something to worthy men."

Robin eyed him quizzically. It just didn't make sense for Gisborne to keep up this act. The sheriff might enjoy these things, but Guy was blunter than this. "You really don't know where she is," he said flatly, realizing the truth of the statement.

"Tell me where you are hiding her!" Guy's voice increased in volume once again.

"You are an even greater fool than I thought!" Robin responded incredulously. Marian really was gone and they were wasting precious time. All the time he could have used to go looking for her... "I told you I was going to go to the villages and ask around there," he shouted at the other man. "But no, Sir Guy thinks it is Robin who is hiding Marian away from him!"

Robin turned away in frustration. He heard the clinging of metal behind him and knowing what it meant, he had just enough time to face Gisborne again as the man charged at him, his sword pointed. Robin jumped to the side, then brought his arm down on Gisborne's, causing the man to drop the weapon. Guy turned and threw himself at Robin. His fist landed in Robin's stomach once again. Winded, Robin at first wasn't able to return the favor. It enabled Guy to land some more hits before Robin finally responded in equal.

"What have you done?" Guy spat out in between the blows.

"If you'd just try and think for once in your life-" Robin was hit in his face again and kicked out at Gisborne. "-you'd realize that I don't know where Marian is, and that keeping me here doesn't exactly help." He had only managed to say as much because Guy had finally stopped punching him.

He sat back on the bare ground, moving some feet away from the archer. Robin saw him touching his face, probably noticing the bleeding wound there. Robin knew that he was not any better off. He could feel the blood trickling down his forehead. He closed his eyes, trying to calm down. A fistfight with Gisborne had never brought about anything good, as little as he liked to admit it to himself.

They sat there in silence for some moments and Robin wondered if the other man would charge at him again. Guy stayed away from him though, not even looking at the outlaw when he finally spoke again.

"She's nowhere to be found in Nottingham," he said bleakly.

Robin nodded. "Where did you last see her?"

"She went to the market. I didn't see her after that." Guy responded in an even voice, still not looking at Robin.

"Do you know if she came back to the castle?"

Guy nodded. "The guard that went with her told me she came back and retired to her chamber."

Robin rubbed his head. He could still feel blood trickling down there. His knuckles were bloody as well.

"Alright, Gisborne. Try and answer me this question," he told the man in a firm voice. "Do you know of any plans of the sheriff to get rid of Marian?"

He knew why he had liked it so little that Marian went back to the castle. Living in the forest had somehow not gone very well, but at least there she wasn't exposed to the sheriff's cruelty as she was in Nottingham. Robin saw a small glimmer of hope: maybe she had managed to flee the castle. Maybe that was why she had dressed as the Nightwatchman, to get out of Nottingham, to come back to the forest...

Guy, who wasn't looking much better than Robin, finally answered after several moments of silence, "Marian is under my protection."

Robin looked at the man gravely. What he had said wasn't really an answer of Robin's question, but Guy's tone carried all the information Robin needed: Guy feared that Robin's suspicion was right.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Guy sat on the cold ground, leaning with his back against a beam of the barn. The pain in his head had evolved from a sharp throb to a dull ache. He could comfort himself with the guess that Robin was probably not feeling any better. The other man sat at the opposite side of the barn, looking sternly at the ground. No word had fallen in several minutes and Guy wondered why Robin hadn't yet used the opportunity to flee that seemed to present itself. The door wasn't bolted anymore. Guy wasn't even sure he would try to stop the man.

It was hard for him to believe that his suspicion about Hood hiding Marian wasn't true, but by now he had admitted to himself that Robin was probably telling the truth in that matter. He also had to admit that the man's chances of finding Marian were probably better than his own. Everything Robin had said about that earlier that day was true. No matter how little Guy liked the fact, but the archer had the people on his side. They benefited from the crimes the outlaw committed, and didn't care where the money or goods Hood gave them came from. Guy they didn't trust, and for good reason.

If he let Robin go, the man might be able to get information they needed to find Marian. Maybe someone had seen her. If that was the case…they would tell Hood far quicker than they would tell Guy.

But if the sheriff had arranged Marian's disappearance, then it wasn't likely someone had seen her. Guy remembered Vaysey's tantrum about him using the guards to search for her though, and wondered if the man wouldn't have simply told him that there was no point anymore in looking for Marian, if he had indeed gotten rid of her. It would have spared the expenses of the troops after all. But then the sheriff also liked his little games and after enjoying Guy pining for Marian he was now perhaps enjoying his vain search for her, no matter the costs.

Guy looked up at Robin. The other man was still sitting in the same position. Guy glanced at the door. At some point Robin would decide to leave. Anything else wouldn't be rational, as he had to know that the sheriff would gladly jump at the chance to finally hang him. Guy hadn't told the sheriff about Robin's capture yet, having wanted to question him alone, but he knew he wouldn't be able to hide it from him for very much longer. He would have to take the outlaw to Nottingham soon and the sheriff would have a great day.

It felt like one of the hardest things he ever had to say, when he finally spoke again.

"I would suggest you leave now before the sheriff gets to know you're here."

Robin glanced up at him, a frown on his face. He didn't say anything, but moved to his feet, watching Gisborne.

"I'm not going to stop you," Guy pointed out.

"So there are no men standing outside, ready to plunge their swords into me as soon as I show my face?" Robin questioned in a mildly curious tone.

Gisborne didn't directly answer his query. "I would be... grateful for any... information..."

Robin nodded. "Try and find out if the sheriff..."

Guy nodded as well, not looking at the other man. Robin didn't say anything more, but moved towards the door steadfastly, though not in an overtly hasty manner. When he opened it, Guy wondered for a split-second if the man would use the opportunity to embarrass Gisborne and bolt the door once he was outside.

The outlaw left the door standing open though. Guy realized that the guard was probably waiting outside, but decided to let Robin deal with it. A knocked-out guard would at least be convincing evidence that the outlaw had fled with force, in case the sheriff learned that Robin had been held here. Gisborne didn't like the idea of being accused of helping him escape. The fact that this was actually the truth caused a bitter taste in his mouth anyway.

When he heard the sound of fighting outside, Gisborne moved to his feet as well. As expected he found the guard unconscious and the outlaw gone. Guy walked to his house brooding, slowly starting to wonder why Robin would even want to look for Marian. It didn't benefit him, apart from the obvious fact that it had meant his escape for now.

At first Guy had assumed that the outlaw was only leading him along, so he hadn't needed to think about any reasons for the man's doing. By now he had convinced himself that Hood really did not know where Marian was and was actually willing to help him find her. It made him question the outlaw's motives now. It didn't seem reasonable to go to these lengths just so he could use Marian as a hostage again. Of course, the man knew he would be able to get back at Gisborne this way, so maybe it wasn't that unreasonable after all. Guy shook his head. It still didn't make sense.

The wondering about Robin's motives to help him in his search evaporated from his mind as he reached his house. The front door stood wide open, clearly broken up. Guy stepped inside and immediately saw what was gone: The bow and quiver he had let the guards bring to the house as a trophy. Moving through the hall he noticed that those weren't the only things that were gone.

Guy wished he had punched the outlaw a few more times.

* * *

Once the guard had been down, Robin had wasted no time before he had gone to the house that was still rightfully his. He was sure his quiver and bow would be in the possession of the man who had taken over the house as well. Getting into his own house wasn't difficult and he gladly picked up his weapon and was briefly tempted to search more of the building. He realized though that this would subvert the point of his and Guy's temporary truce even more so. Moreover he wouldn't be able to look for Marian if he found himself caught again because he hadn't left quickly enough. Trying to calm his anger about the situation, he moved outside, taking care not to draw attention to himself.

He could only hope that nobody had observed the exchange between him and Guy, so as not to betray Gisborne's little secret. Not that Robin really cared. The man would hopefully be useful to locate Marian, but Robin certainly wouldn't shed a tear if Gisborne met misfortune because the sheriff learned about Robin's little adventure.

Dawn was just breaking and once he was out of the village he was able to move more easily. He usually wouldn't need to be careful in Locksley; the people wouldn't betray him. But today he decided he needed to get away, before Gisborne changed his mind. The man was certainly enough of a fool to do so.

Robin only gave up on his inconspicuous behavior when he saw a guard riding on the way that crossed the archer's path. He charged ahead and pulled the man from his horse before he could even react. Robin seized the reins and heaved himself onto the animal, turning it around swiftly and edging it to run.

He had decided to head to Nottingham first and return to the villages later. Nottingham would be the most likely sightings of Marian or the Nightwatchman since the town was the place of her residence. If Marian was treading about as the Nightwatchman she would be sure to stay close to the castle. If Nottingham proved useless, he would then go to the nearest village, Clun, first. She often was seen in the villages, too, and Clun was just as likely as Nottingham. He would return to Locksley as well, but would wait until later in the day. Gisborne would hopefully be gone by then, making his way to Nottingham in order to execute his part of the plan, leaving Robin free hand to do so in Locksley.

Robin saw quite a number of people moving to and from the town during his ride. A small group hastily moving away from Nottingham caught his attention though. They were four people who were trying to get away as fast as possible, and when Robin came closer to them, a grin spread on his face. His amused surprise was quickly replaced by wonder as to what his men had been up to. An explanation came to his mind just as fast. They were searching for him. Much would have told them about his encounter with Gisborne and when Robin had not arrived back at the camp, they had decided to go looking for him.

Robin turned his horse away from the main road and followed his men. He was sure they would notice his presence soon enough. His expectation was proven true, as the gang suddenly scattered into the bushes.

"Hey, it's me," he called, slowing his horse.

"Robin," he could hear Much's voice a second later. Robin dismounted and the man appeared at his side moments later, followed by Will, Djaq and John. "You got away!" Much called happily.

"Yes," Robin replied simply, choosing not to discern the circumstances right now. His truce with Gisborne wasn't a matter he wanted to lead a discussion about.

"Where have you been?" Will wanted to know.

"Gisborne took me to Locksley," Robin explained with a frown.

"How dare he hold you captive on your own grounds!" Much was indignant.

Robin shook his head. "He says he's looking for Marian." After a pause he added, "Is she at the camp?" He had still been cherishing this hope, but it was dashed as soon as Djaq shook her head.

"No, she has not come there, at least not till we left."

Robin rubbed his still hurting head, trying to think clearly. "What happened in Nottingham? You seemed keen to get away quickly."

"Our cover was blown," Will explained, as they all moved to get away from the trail they were on, back into the safety of the forest.

"We wanted to rescue you," Much added, catching up with Robin who patted his horse smiling. "I also got us some food," the man continued. "I wanted to ask the baker for information and first bought some rolls from him." Much fell silent, looking from one outlaw to the next.

"Well, then," Robin looked back at him, "where are they? I haven't eaten in a while."

They shared the food, before Robin sent the gang back to their camp. He needed to look for Marian alone, and knew that he would be able to move faster by horse. They marched off somewhat reluctantly, and Robin remounted his horse, heading for Clun now. His earlier plan to go to Nottingham first would have to wait until things had quieted down there, after the gang had created the uproar. No doubt the sheriff would be on the lookout for any outlaws, and if Gisborne returned anytime soon it wouldn't be a surprise if the Master-at-Arms would track him down once again in order to please the sheriff, no matter their earlier truce.

As the sun had long been up, the peasants would be awake and wouldn't be roused out of sleep by Robin. He slowed his horse once he was coming close to the village, not wanting to alarm anyone. He himself was feeling more and more alarmed. Nobody seemed to have seen Marian in more than a day by now.

Riding slowly into the village, he saw people outside, doing their daily work. He slid from the horse and looked around, wondering who he could ask first. He wasn't sure how many people in Clun would even recognize Marian. Back when she had stayed with the gang in the forest, she had been there when the outlaws had fought against guards attacking the villagers for Carter's ploy. Robin had tried to make sure though that Marian wasn't pulled into the midst of battle. But as far as he remembered she had brought food to the village more than once, so people might know her from those times. He had to consider though that Marian had left the castle clad as the Nightwatchman according to Allan's tale. So people might actually have seen him, but not her.

While Robin pondered these thoughts, a man he knew to be the miller greeted him, "How are you doing, Robin?"

"Doing good, how are you?"

"We manage," the miller answered with a small smile.

"I have to ask you something important, and not only you," Robin said earnestly.

"What is it?" the man asked openly, while Robin made the decision what to ask first, after Marian or after the Nightwatchman.

"Do you know if the Nightwatchman has recently been by?"

"I do not think so; I've never seen him. I've heard people talking about him, but I've never seen him with my own eyes."

"Do you know if anybody else has seen him these days?"

"I'm sure people would have been talking about it."

Robin studied the man. The villagers didn't know Marian was the Nightwatchman and although Robin wanted to ask after Marian herself as well, he didn't want to give away her secret. He thanked the man and wandered on, knowing he might ask the next person after Marian, but then rumors would go around in the village that Robin had been looking for both her and the disguised stranger who had been helping the peasants for years. People might be able to put two and two together.

He had to risk it. Her present safety was more important to him. If he had to take her back to the forest to keep her safe then that is what he would do. He kept walking around the village and finally found who he was looking for. The old man used to work for Marian and her father when they still lived in Knighton and had moved in with his daughter's family when the man had lost his position at Knighton hall when it had been burned down by Gisborne.

Robin smiled as he approached him. The man knew who the outlaw was and not only because he had become infamous after he had returned from the Holy Land. He had known Robin before the archer had gone off to war, had seen him often enough in Knighton when Robin had been a lad.

He greeted him openly as the miller had done earlier. "How are you, Robin?"

"Doing well, how are you?"

"Things are not too bad," the man smiled back at the outlaw, but kept watching him attentively.

"I have to ask you something, but this has to stay between the two of us."

The old man frowned, but nodded. "What can I do?"

"Have you seen Lady Marian recently?"

The other man shook his head slowly. "No, I have not seen her... since I left Knighton. And to this village here, I think, she has not been in many weeks."

Robin nodded solemnly. "Thank you."

"Why are you asking these questions, Robin?"

Robin hesitated before he replied. "Nobody in Nottingham knows about her whereabouts."

"Do you think she is safe?" The other man sounded apprehensive.

Robin smiled. "You know that she is able to take care of herself."

"Gisborne burned down Knighton Hall and she could do nothing," he sighed.

"Gisborne is not..." Robin shook his head. "I am sure he has done nothing to her." Robin felt strange saying this, but had the strong conviction that what he was saying was true. Guy really did not know where Marian was and was probably as worried as Robin himself. Robin didn't like Gisborne's reasons for his personal worry, but they seemed to be on the same side for once.

"I have to go on now," he said. "Take care."

He said goodbye to the man, and left to ask several more people after the Nightwatchman, but nobody could give him any information about having seen him.

Robin rode back to Locksley as the sun kept rising to its highest point. The picture there looked similar to the one he had left behind in Clun. Gisborne seemed to have left for Nottingham, but even if he hadn't done so, Robin figured that he and Guy were basically on the same side for now, so it would only be reasonable that the Master-at-Arms did not stop Robin before he had gotten substantial information about Marian. Of course, as soon as Guy discovered what he wanted to know, the truce would be over immediately.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Guy crumbled the piece of parchment in his hands. He should have known that this wouldn't lead anywhere.

_Nobody has seen her. Going to keep looking._

That had been the whole content of the message he had received via his housekeeper from Locksley Manor. Guy threw the wad aside, regretting at this very moment that he had let the outlaw go. He stormed out of his chamber at the castle, the door falling shut with a resounding noise that Guy even dampened out with his shouts. "Allan!" He marched along the passageway with long strides. "Allan!"

He turned around a corner and almost walked into a man, but it wasn't the one he was looking for.

"Your lap-dog isn't here," the sheriff told him with a smirk. "Maybe he has run back to his previous owner."

Guy felt like having been punched in the face for a moment and subconsciously touched the wound on his cheek that was the result of the fight in the barn in Locksley. The sting that the contact with the wound caused also cleared his head. As little as it had resulted in so far, he could not give up on the reluctant cooperation with the outlaw now, or he would give up on one of his only leads. The other lead was standing before him.

Guy looked at the sheriff who was waving a hand in front of Guy's eyes now.

"Anyone there?" Vaysey asked amusedly. "Or has your mind followed the leper into nothingness?"

Guy clenched his fists at his sides.

"What has happened to you anyway?" the sheriff went on with a closer look at Guy's face. "Been beat up by a new girly?"

Guy was silent, his mind pondering the question as to how on earth he could ask the sheriff what he needed to ask. The man shooed him aside and moved on, Guy following behind. They were going to the sheriff's quarters and when he turned to close the door of these, the sheriff's face showed a mocking surprise about Guy's continuing presence.

"What now, Gisborne?"

"Sir."

The other man had already turned away uncaring, moving towards the cage with his birds now.

Guy watched him, struggling to find the right words. "Sir, have you heard anything about Lady Marian?"

The sheriff didn't answer at first. He had opened the cage and caught a small bird. "Ah, the disappointment, Gisborne." He stroked the bird, looking down at it.

Guy just stared wordlessly at the man, waiting for another answer, but also wondering how else he could ask. This was his part of the search plan after all, but he knew how difficult it was to extract from the man what he wanted to know if Vaysey was unwilling to give it to him.

The sheriff closed the bird cage. "Have you ever thought about the possibility, Gisborne, that your boy Allan helped in making her disappear? He is in the castle... He is Hood's hand in the castle, as I've been telling you." The last part was said with rising anger in the sheriff's voice and he turned back to his right-hand man.

"I do not believe so, my lord."

No, Guy did not believe it, but still he felt cold at the implication, as it would explain the question that had been pressing on his mind. It would explain how Hood could have managed to take Marian away from the castle... If Allan was his man still... The traitor... Maybe Guy had been on the right track when he had been looking for the man before he ran into the sheriff.

But then Vaysey had also wanted Guy to force Allan to tell them where the outlaw's camp was, or alternatively, what Robin's sore point was. Guy had thought those ideas vain and had wasted only little time questioning Allan about them, before returning to more important tasks. Allan hadn't answered him either of the sheriff's queries, but Guy nevertheless didn't believe he was still working for Robin. Maybe not for lack of wanting, but he understood that Hood had thrown him out. Gisborne smiled, an emotion that was wiped from his face a moment later.

"Not that anyone misses her," the sheriff was still talking. "Save for the love-sick puppy that is you, Gisborne!" his voice rose. "I'm surrounded by dogs!" He gave the bird cage a violent swing and the birds inside panicked, making a racket. When the sheriff turned to Gisborne the next time, the man was gone.

* * *

The servants at Locksley Manor breathed a sigh of relief when he had left. They knew Gisborne's temper well enough by now, but today it had been especially bad. In the morning someone had broken into the house and Guy had been furious. In the evening the man had arrived back on an exhausted horse and had immediately demanded to see Thornton. The conversation with the man had apparently not dampened Guy's wrath. Luckily, the man had soon left, taking another horse to ride off. Many of the servants knew that Robin had been at the house earlier that day. They could only assume that Guy's anger was connected to the visit.

Robin had in the meantime ridden on to Knighton and Nettlestone. Nobody had been able to answer his questions the way he had hoped there either, although some of the reactions he had witnessed in Knighton had made him suspicious. He had asked after Marian there and had received some strange looks. Likely it was because some of the people knew Marian well from the time she had lived there and were now wondering what was wrong. It didn't have to mean that they were hiding anything from Robin.

After looking in Nettlestone without success, Robin rode back to Knighton in rising anguish. Nobody had seen her in Nottingham, at least according to Gisborne. There had been no trace of her in any of the villages around the town.

Robin worried. He had been confident that he would learn something in the villages, that people would tell him that they had seen the Nightwatchman. Allan had told him that Marian had gone off disguised. This was information Gisborne could never learn, but Robin, knowing about it, had been fairly sure that he would be able to discover where Marian was.

He had told himself again and again that she could take care of herself. Still, this didn't mean that nothing could happen, especially as she was basically living in the clutches of the sheriff.

Robin didn't know what to do. He always came up with something he could do. But now he was running out of ideas where to even look. If he knew where she was, held captive somewhere, he could go on a rescue mission like he had done so many times for any of the outlaws and like the gang had done for him as well. But he had no idea what had happened.

He reached Knighton still lost in thought. He didn't plan on asking around again; little time had passed since he had first done so before riding off to Nettlestone. He had to go back to camp instead. Maybe one of the lads had any idea what else he could do. Robin dismounted the horse outside of Knighton and sent it into the direction of the village then, guessing that someone would pick it up, and walked off into the forest. He had not gotten far, when he heard the sound of hooves again. They were coming from the road leading to Knighton. Robin stepped to the side of it and saw Gisborne approaching on horseback, several guards following behind him. He wasn't sure if he could trust the man again, but Robin knew they needed to speak. He had to know if the man had discovered anything new. Robin walked to the middle of the road and Gisborne slowed down, allowing the guards to catch up.

"Hood," Gisborne greeted him, if one wanted to name the way he said and the tone he used with this friendly word. Robin realized immediately that Guy was fuming. The guards charged forward and Robin pulled up his bow in frustration, stopping them in their tracks.

"Haven't we been through this already?" Robin sighed. He couldn't believe Guy was already throwing their plan away. Neither did he feel like discussing the matter over and over again. If Gisborne wasn't ready to cooperate even to this little extent, Robin had to find Marian on his own. "Have you asked Vaysey?" he wanted to know nevertheless, having little hope for a satisfying answer.

Guy narrowed his eyes and after a moment of hesitation he signaled his guards and Robin lowered his bow, frowning and hoping that this type of cooperation could be ended rather sooner than later.

"He didn't tell me anything," Guy said finally. He smiled a humorless smile. "Well, he told me that your traitor Allan-a-Dale is in league with you again and that is how you took Marian from the castle. What do you say to that?" His tone told Robin all too clearly that he didn't expect an earnest answer.

Robin shook his head, pushing away the anger that was coming up on the mentioning of Allan and the suggestion that the traitor was still working for him.

"You haven't learned anything, have you? For once I had thought you were smarter than that, but you still let Vaysey play with your mind."

He knew that Guy had no reason to trust him, rather expected the worst of him. This sentiment was what Robin had after all exploited when he had pretended to hold Marian hostage. Well, Marian had exploited it. Robin had not liked the idea at all, expecting the worst of Gisborne just as well.

He had to be straightforward. "We go to Nottingham. I want to see with my own eyes."

Gisborne let out a gruff snort. "And you think that you will see something different than I?"

"My men and I always do," Robin pointed out.

There was a moment of silence, before Guy nodded. "Agreed."

He looked at the outlaw pointedly and Robin looked back at him and the guards, grimacing. A nice walk together to Nottingham wasn't really a cheery prospect or even an option for either of them, as being seen together would promise to be fateful for either one. It would simplify things in Nottingham though, if he didn't have to take care to keep the guards from his back.

Finally Robin shrugged and moved to walk past Gisborne's guards to lead the way to Nottingham, if it was necessary. He took the risk that Gisborne would order to apprehend him again, but bet on the chance that Guy had for once and all realized that only Robin could help him. In a way it was a test. Robin could have just as well disappeared into the forest, but he probed Gisborne, taking the first step on what would surely be his last try to work with the man.

Robin was almost past the guards, who were watching him suspiciously, when one of them suddenly collapsed and fell from his horse after something had collided with him. The something actually turned out to be a someone, a small figure clad in a brown cloak and wearing a mask, moving quickly, hitting more guards, before they could even react to the surprise in a proper manner.

Guy bellowed orders, but the Nightwatchman skirted away and grabbed Robin's arm, pulling him off the road, into the forest.

He could barely keep up, the surprise so sudden that the archer found himself tripping over his own feet. But he kept himself upright, hurrying along with her, both confusion and relief intermingling with one another. Behind him he could hear Gisborne yelling, shouting out orders, but by then the two were well enough off the path that the others would not be able to find them easily. That was what Robin wanted and Marian, too, for she knew as well as he did that to be caught in such a manner was a death sentence. The happy reunion would be short lived, replaced by a much more dreary outcome. They turned one last corner, moving behind another tree, and sliding into a thick and short brush. It gave them solid cover.

"Marian!" he finally managed to breathe once he knew that they were safe from prying ears.

"What are you doing?" she cried, pulling down her mask, her voice low.

"What are you doing?" Robin returned, almost laughing.

"Rescuing you! I leave for a day and you fall into the hands of Guy. You have any idea of what he would do to you?"

"Yeah, I guess I have. But this wasn't necessary," Robin shrugged it off, perplexed by her stance. Here it was they who had been set out to find and rescue her, but instead the opposite had happened, or so she believed.

"You were surrounded by guards," Marian pointed out angrily.

"Well, not exactly surrounded," Robin grinned. "We've been looking for you! Where have you been all this time?" Sobering up, he added quietly, "I was worried."

"We have to get away from here," she said fiercely.

Robin still smiled in relief at seeing her, despite her lack of wanting to answer. There would be time to explain later, he knew. He wanted to hug her, but couldn't risk any of Gisborne's men, who were still somewhere close, getting a glance of him taking the Nightwatchman into his arms. Even if the guards wouldn't be able to put two and two together, Guy might become suspicious.

Before he could say anything else, they heard Guy's voice closer to them than before. "Hood? Do not think you can just leave like this! We don't have any time for you and your outlaw-friends to go off together."

"What is going on here?" Marian asked in a vehement whisper. Robin knew that she couldn't risk Guy recognizing her voice.

"Gisborne and I have been looking for you," he explained quietly, as they could still hear Guy calling for him. Robin grimaced. The man seemed suddenly very eager to have Robin help in the search. Maybe he was actually worried that Robin would go off with the Nightwatchman and leave Guy to his own futile attempts at a search. Robin could easily do this now. Marian was here and he pretty much felt like simply vanishing with her into the forest, but knew it would look suspicious, if he suddenly abandoned the search for her at the sight of the Nightwatchman, and Marian appeared shortly after, safe and sound.

Marian seemed confused at his explanation and he could very well understand it.

"You and Guy-"

"Do you want to go back to Nottingham?" he interrupted her.

Marian nodded as expected. They had led this discussion before and Robin wouldn't try now to change her mind.

"You have to go quickly, before Gisborne finds us." He took her hand for a moment and gave it a squeeze. "I'll come and see you later."

With a nod, Marian set the mask back in place, turned and hurried off through the forest, Robin soon losing her sight between the trees. Smiling, feeling relieved that he knew she was well, although he still did now know what had happened, Robin turned on his heel, slipping out from the brush, making his way back to Gisborne, careful to hide his emotions once he approached the man.

Guy looked at him darkly. "What was that about?"

"Naturally the Nightwatchman thought I was in danger and took liberty to rescue me. We cleared things up, and I chose to ask him if he has seen Marian anywhere," Robin said lightly. "He's getting around after all." He was rewarded by some quietly muttered insults from Gisborne that for once were mostly not directed at him, but at the disguised person that had vanished into the woods.

"What are we waiting for?" Robin wondered. "We need to get to Nottingham."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"He's always doing that!" Much complained. "Going off alone, and then he needs to be rescued!"

The gang was sitting at the camp once again, as the day was drawing to a close. They had made their way back through the forest after Robin had sent them back, assuring them that he would have to search for Marian on his own. Along the way they had actually discussed looking for her as well, arguing that more people would be able to see and hear more than one person, but had then decided to listen to Robin's orders, as little as they liked it.

"He didn't need rescue this time," Will pointed out at Much's indignant claim.

"Not this time!" Much nodded. "But one of these days he's going to be caught and he won't get away!"

"Let us hope he does," Djaq smiled reassuringly, but Will thought he also detected a hint of nervousness in her voice and expression.

"Then he's going to need us to rescue him!" Much was certain. "Maybe he will learn then not to go off alone, while we are sitting here back at camp."

"You like camp," Will smiled.

"Yes," the other man confirmed with a nod. "It is a very nice camp indeed. Thank you, Will, for it."

Will looked at Djaq and saw an amused expression in her eyes. She looked away then, turning to get more branches for their fire. They nurtured the flames that gave a warm light to the outlaws.

"So how long are we going to stay here?" Much picked up the discussion again, after he had set a small pot over the fire.

"Until Robin comes back," John replied simply, sitting down nearby.

"For the night at least," Djaq answered in contradiction.

"I don't like. I don't like it even a little bit," Much shook his head, stirring their supper. "We could go to the villages, look for Marian..."

"We have talked about this, Much," Djaq reminded him.

"Yes, I know we have, but we can still talk about it again. If we go and find Marian, Robin can come back and I do not need to worry about him." He threw the wooden spoon he had used against the pot, causing a hollow sound.

"Maybe he has already found her by now," Will put forward calmly. "She can't have just disappeared."

"Many things can happen," the Saracen said simply, as they started handing around their plates.

* * *

She didn't like leaving the clothes, knowing that she wouldn't have an easy time finding new ones that would work well as a disguise at the castle, but it was way too risky to try and get back into Nottingham in the telltale clothes of the Nightwatchman.

She had debated with herself whether she would try to sneak into Nottingham, risking being caught, or whether she would simply walk into Nottingham as Lady Marian. If she had understood Robin correctly, Guy had been looking for her as well. The guards in Nottingham probably knew about that. Guy didn't really need to know that she was coming back to the town now, as she would have a hard time to explain where she was suddenly coming from. But then, if he found her at the castle once he was back, the explanation wouldn't be easier to come by.

Still, when she had seen the castle rise up over the town, less than half a mile away, she had decided to sneak in as she had often done before. It had been easy enough, the guards not even seeming to notice her.

She walked through the dark streets of Nottingham, the cloak she had been given in Knighton still wrapped tightly around her. Few people were moving around outside; it was no surprise, it was late and Marian had to admit that she would be glad to get to bed, too. It had been a long way back. She had spent the last day at Knighton, lucky enough to have friends there that had taken her in.

She was somewhat frustrated at the time the whole adventure had cost her, while getting her nowhere near any useful information. She wondered if she hadn't expected too much of the escapade. She guessed she had wanted to do something useful again, even now when she was back at the castle. It didn't seem to work this way though.

She heard a sound behind her and turned her head to look what it had been, but at this moment everything was quiet again. She walked on, wondering briefly how to get back into the castle. But she figured nobody would hinder her from entering once they recognized her, and as she would have to find a good excuse to tell Guy anyway, she could just as well save herself the trouble of trying to sneak into the castle as well. It could all wait till the next morning.

She turned around another corner on her way to the castle yard, when the punch hit her fully unexpectedly. She found herself thrown around in the next moment and then caught in big hands. She lashed out, but felt a sword at her throat a second later.

"Found you," the owner of it whispered in her ear.

"Who are you?" she demanded, staring down at the blade.

"Let's just say I'm working for someone who would like to make sure you disappear and don't turn up again."

Marian swallowed, her mind racing to what Robin had said about Gisborne trying to find her. Guy wouldn't do this. Guy wouldn't want this; at least she had come to believe that.

"Are you working for Sir Guy?" she asked, as the man pulled her backwards slowly, deeper into the back street.

"No Sir Guy, missy," the man replied callously. The next moment he lowered the blade and Marian used the opportunity to kick him. He fell backwards and she scrambled over a pile of logs to get away. Then she realized that it hadn't only been one man, when more figures jumped ahead.

She was glad that she had had a good night's sleep and a good meal back at Knighton, for it gave her the strength to fight back. Still, at the end they were too many and she had nowhere to run.

Someone grabbed her and a blade was coming for her again. The intent in the man's eyes was clear.

This intent was the last living glint that could be seen in them, for an arrow hit the man's back the next moment, another following quickly. Marian tried to wriggle out of the other man's grasp, turning and kicking to get him off his feet. She could hear more arrows fly through the air and hit their targets. She knew it was Robin, but he wasn't alone, another man was fighting at his side. Only getting a short glance at him as she was herself busy fighting off the unknown men, she still recognized immediately that it was Guy. It felt strange to see he was fighting on the same side as Robin, trying to save her.

What one person wouldn't have managed, three were able to do. With Robin's skill at the bow and Guy's swordsmanship the men fell like flies. Marian knocked out one or two as well, and once she was able to catch her breath she wondered what Guy would say, wondered if he had seen it at all and if he'd be surprised or suspicious to see her fighting.

The two men were walking up to her now, Robin a little ahead, giving her a smile that was invisible to Gisborne who appeared to be relieved as well and Marian reminded herself that he had been searching for her these past days.

"Thank you," she said, directing it at the both of them.

"Who were these men?" Robin asked with a frown, stopping in his tracks and looking over the bodies.

Marian looked down at one of them. "I don't know." She glanced up, looking at Guy now. "They told me... they were working for someone who wants me to vanish for good."

Guy's eyes narrowed. "Did they say who this someone is?" He stepped closer to her, standing next to Robin now, throwing a dark glance at the outlaw. He almost seemed to want to put himself between her and Robin.

Marian shook her head quietly. "No, they didn't."

"Do not worry. You are safe now," Guy said, once again with a look at the other man. Robin rolled his eyes, but wasn't able to do anything. "Where have you been all this time?" Guy asked her then. "You know you shouldn't go anywhere alone. It's too dangerous." There was heaviness in his voice and Marian could barely avoid glancing at Robin.

"Yes, I know," she said. "These men..."

Guy stiffened. "You can be assured that I will not rest before I have found the one responsible."

Marian nodded, only watching Robin out of the corner of her eyes now. It was clear he wanted to talk to her as well, but she couldn't approach him in a friendly manner, not here with Guy around, no matter that he had helped saving her. She wanted to give him a signal to leave, but wasn't able to do so as she was under Guy's close scrutiny now.

The sound that she heard next was more than unwelcome.

"Gisborne! What is going on here?"

The beating of hooves on cobblestone told as much as the voice they could hear of the man that came riding towards them, several guards following behind. The sheriff dismounted and looked at first at Gisborne, then at the bodies, then at Marian.

Robin had retreated into the shadows of the houses, but Marian was still able to see him from where she was standing. She knew that he wouldn't leave her in this situation.

"My Lord-" Guy started.

"I see you've found your little missy again," Vaysey said with a false smile at Marian. "But who is that?" he nodded towards the body of the man who had first ambushed Marian.

"They attacked Lady Marian," Guy explained.

"Who would do any such thing?" the sheriff openly pretended to be shocked.

Guy blinked. "I do not know, my Lord."

Marian swallowed at the look in Guy's eyes. It told her that he very well had an idea.

"Sir," one of the guards called suddenly from behind the sheriff, pointing into the darkness. "There's someone there!"

The sheriff turned quickly. "Get him!"

Marian guessed that the sheriff didn't know who it was, but was simply ready to apprehend anyone who was around. Maybe he knew though. Maybe he had watched everything from afar before he had shown himself and was aware that Robin still lingered around somewhere.

Once again she wasn't able to do anything, as the guards charged into the darkness and backed the outlaw into a corner. They pulled him forward into the light then, still struggling. Guy didn't say anything, didn't even look at the captured man.

"See, who we have here," the sheriff seemed delighted. "I guess this answers our question, Gisborne, doesn't it? Caught right at the scene of his crime, his latest one that is," he added sweetly.

"That's right, Vaysey, this is the scene of your latest crime," Robin spat out and was punched by one of the guards for it.

"Now what do you say to that, Gisborne? Mmh?" the sheriff turned to his right-hand man.

"My Lord," Gisborne only muttered.

Marian stared at him, but he evaded her gaze. He had to know that this wasn't Robin's doing. He probably even suspected as well that it was the sheriff's instead.

"I would say," Vaysey emphasized every word, "you take your missy back into the castle where she belongs..." He turned to Robin and the guards again. "… and you take him into the dungeons. He will hang in the morning." The sheriff's tone spoke of a day's work well done.

"My Lord..." Guy said again, while the guards were dragging Robin away.

Marian saw a fearful look on Robin's face and knew that he was not only fearing for himself, but for her, too. She lost sight of him then and looked back at Gisborne.

"My Lord, I do not believe it is Hood's doing this time," Guy finally declared.

"Rubbish, Gisborne. Of course it is," the sheriff intervened quickly. "But do not fear for your little missy anymore now. We have Hood, and he will die in the morning."

"It is not Hood's style," Gisborne insisted.

"Not his style? Not his style you say? How many men has he killed?"

"Men, yes, but he does not attack women."

Marian cringed. She had made sure that Guy actually thought Robin able to do that, when she had pretended to be his hostage. Then it had been to save both their lives. Now it didn't speak in Robin's favor and Guy's own argument.

"Oh, Gisborne, Gisborne, Gisborne. You still have a too rosy picture of the outlaws! I wonder where that comes from? Hood has taken little Marian capture before, so what would stop him now? What is it that is going on in your brain? Do I have you sympathizing with the outlaws?"

"Of course not, my Lord."

"Good to know," the sheriff smirked. "Now take Marian here back to the castle. And then make sure to post extra guards. I want the gates of the town watched, too. Make sure that nobody gets in or out until Hood is dead!"

The sheriff remounted his horse and rode off, followed by the rest of his guards that had not left with Robin. Guy took Marian's arm and led her toward the castle.

"Guy," she started.

"What is it?"

"I... want to thank you for saving my life."

"I am here to protect you, Marian."

"Then..." She hesitated, avoiding his gaze once again.

"Tell me."

"I am just worried."

Guy was silent for a moment, before he asked, "About what?"

"I do not believe it was Hood who ordered those men to attack me."

"So you are worrying about him?"

"No, you misunderstand me," she said quickly. "I do not believe it was him, so I believe those men acted on someone else's orders. And this someone could try it again."

Marian wondered how open they were really speaking with each other. Did Guy understand that she was alluding to the sheriff?

Guy stopped walking. "You are right, Marian."

She knew that he had not contradicted the sheriff earlier out of any considerations for Robin, but instead because he simply didn't believe the sheriff's declaration on the matter either and therefore feared for her.

"Then you have to do something." She turned to him, looking into his eyes now.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I do not know who attacked you, Marian," he told her quietly and she knew it to be a lie. "But I assure you, I will protect you."

"But what about Hood?"

"Neither of us would want him to walk free in any case. He will hang for all the other crimes he committed."

She couldn't argue against that without betraying her feelings and chose to not say anything anymore while they were walking back into the castle and up the stairs and corridors to her chamber. Gisborne had retreated into silence as well, but kept close to her.

"Good night, Marian," he said once they were at the room and she returned the greeting half-heartedly.

Marian sat down on her bed. She sat there, thinking about Robin down in the dungeons, Guy walking around in the castle, making sure everything was locked and watched, the sheriff in his chambers, planning the morning's festivities.

Robin had told her how he had worried, how he had been looking for her. She was afraid now. There was only little time left till the morning would come.

She knew though where Robin was. It was one thing and the only hope she had.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Robin found himself in a lone cell, separate from any other prisoners the sheriff surely had down there. He wasn't sleeping; he was sitting on the cot the cell offered instead, leaning with his back against the wall.

He was trapped. He knew he should be feeling glad that Marian was found and well, but then he had no idea how long this would be the case. He doubted the sheriff would leave it at one attempt to kill her. Robin was certain that it had all been the man's doing. Accusing Robin of it just served as a bonus for the man.

Once Robin was dead, he wouldn't be able to protect Marian anymore. While he knew that Gisborne would also try to do so, it was no happy thought that Marian would have to rely on that man of all men.

There was still the gang though. They were safe, back at the camp. They would still be there to continue to fight against the sheriff, to help the poor, to protect Marian. He was sure they would do so, knowing that it was what he would have wanted.

They wouldn't be able to keep her safe from the sheriff in the castle though. Robin had known it for a long time. He had always tried to convince her to go with him into the forest, fearing for her safety in the castle. She had refused because of her father. After his death, she had been ready to come. Why had he let her go back?

Robin shook his head. She had to leave the castle. She had to find sanctuary somewhere. He prayed she would realize this soon enough. Or would she still stay after he was hanged here?

The night stretched long. Longer than he thought it would. Maybe it was because he was worrying so much, worrying about what would happen, things he wouldn't know about anymore, wouldn't be able to do anything about. That was what made him feel the worst. He had always felt sure that if he was there to somehow do something, he would be able to bring change, or at least would be able to keep the horrible things that could happen in bay.

He wasn't able to determine the time, but after what he knew had to be several hours, he started hearing sounds outside of the dungeon's door. He closed his eyes, calming his breath. He had looked death into the eye so often that he shouldn't be this nervous. Still, he couldn't keep his heart from beating faster.

He waited and the sounds ebbed away. Nobody came for him though. He repeatedly heard the sound of voices and of steps, but still the door remained closed. As time dragged on, Robin moved away from the cot he had been sitting on all night. There wasn't much space to walk, but he couldn't sit anymore. In his mind raged pictures of all the things he imaged to be happening right now, as the day went on.

Then the door that led to the cells opened and Robin could see the jailer's face for a moment. There weren't any guards behind him. Instead it was a lone man, clad in black. He spoke with the jailer quietly and the other man left him alone with Robin.

Robin crossed his arms before his chest, looking at Allan darkly.

"What do you want? Or should I rather ask: what does Gisborne want?"

"I'm not here on Giz' orders."

"On whose then?" Robin was only mildly curious.

Allan shrugged. "On my own."

"So the jailer just let you in so we could have a chat?"

"Well, I told him I'm here on Giz' orders."

"So, what is it you want?"

"Nothing, really."

Robin moved closer to the bars of the cell. "I'm telling you, don't think you can sell out anyone else, the gang, Marian, just because I can't kill you anymore. There's going to be someone else who will make you pay."

"Seriously, Robin, I'd never-"

"So, what's going on?" the archer interrupted him. "How comes I'm not a guest at the sheriff's festivities yet?" he asked with a scowl on his face.

Allan lifted his eyebrows. "He isn't in town actually. He's ridden out somewhere, don't know where to." He stared at Robin for a moment. "Oh, you mean why he hasn't... yeah, I guess he had more important matters on his mind." Allan said the last thing with a smirk that told Robin clearly how much he himself believed his own tale.

Robin scoffed. He could imagine this being the sheriff's latest idea of a game. "Has Gisborne gone with him?" he asked in a tone that showed it to be of only minor interest to him.

Allan nodded. "Yeah. There are still double guards everywhere though. Nobody gets in or out who doesn't have explicit permission from the sheriff." He answered the question as if Robin had asked after any chance of escape. There were some moments of silence, before Allan went on. "How comes you're in here anyway? I heard you were arrested for plotting to kill Marian. I guess there's not much truth in that."

Robin shook his head. "What did you expect? The sheriff discovering his conscience? You should know who you're working for by now."  
He wasn't very willing to discuss the attack on Marian. He still couldn't be sure on whose orders it had happened, although his mind had already formed a clear answer that pointed at the sheriff.

"I just wondered what happened, as I haven't seen her around." Allan shrugged.

"What do you mean, you haven't seen her around?" Robin asked sharply.

"Well, I'm not sure if she's skipping meals, but a servant girl I... talked... to said she hasn't taken any of her meals yet."

Robin froze. Had the sheriff acted during the night? He moved away from the bars, away from Allan, staring at the rough walls of the cell. He was trapped.

He sat down at the cot, laying his head on his hands, breaking his mind to come up with a solution. He had almost forgotten the other man, when Allan spoke up again.

"You know, Robin, if I knew a way, I'd help you out of here."

"Sure, unless your buddy Giz ups the price," Robin retorted bitterly, not even looking at the man, his mind still on Marian.

"Robin, I never wanted any of you to be killed, I swear!"

"Go back to whoever sent you here."

"Robin-"

"Leave!"

Robin didn't watch him depart, but knew Allan had indeed left when the heavy dungeon's door opened and closed some moments later. He wasn't certain that Gisborne had sent Allan, but was mildly curious as to what he had expected to achieve by doing it, if it was indeed the case.

Robin's thoughts returned to Marian then and he wondered if Guy knew where she was. He had ridden out with the sheriff, according to Allan, so Robin could only assume that he hadn't any tasks that kept him at the castle.

Robin stood up and walked to the bars again, looking into the darkness. He knew it was pointless, but he couldn't help it as he tried to make them move in frustration. He had been here before. He had been about to be executed several times. Never had he wanted to give the sheriff the satisfaction of showing desperation, but right now he couldn't imagine anything worse than being trapped here, being able to do nothing.

He remembered Marian's words from so long ago. She had argued that he wouldn't be able to help anyone when he was dead. He had retorted that he couldn't let the sheriff hang his people. She had told him that everything they did was a choice. It had been similar words he had used with Allan when the man claimed he had had no choice but to betray the gang.

Robin still didn't regret anything he had done to help his people, but he couldn't keep the desperation away of having no choices left, nothing left he could do. Almost nothing at least...

"Jailer!" he yelled as loudly as he could, hoping the man would hear him through the heavy door. "Jailer!"

He doubted for some moments that it had worked, but then the door opened and he could see the man walking through.

The man smiled chillingly. "Can't wait for your hanging, can you?"

Robin looked at him sternly. "I want to see Lady Marian," he said in his most authoritative tone. He knew that Marian wouldn't be able to do anything for him this time, but he had to find out if she was alright. Maybe she was at the castle after all and Allan had just told another tale...

The jailer grinned. "You want to see her? Now what else do you want? Shall I tell the cooks to prepare a grand dinner for you? Maybe some cushions for your cot? Or do you maybe want to leave us early?"

Robin ignored the taunting. "Go and tell her that I want to see her."

The jailer hadn't changed his expression, only looked at Robin for some more moments, before he turned away.

"Then get Gisborne down here," Robin called after him, feeling that he had to get answers from somebody. Maybe Gisborne would be ready to talk to him. The jailer though wasn't talking to him anymore, but wandered away without turning to Robin again.

He kicked the bars once more in frustration.

It was hours later that the jailer returned, carrying a small plate this time. Robin didn't even glance at the food he brought.

"Have you talked to Gisborne? Will he come down here and talk to me?" he asked, having decided on this somewhat more diplomatic approach. The jailer shoved the plate into Robin's cell.

"Sir Guy is too busy to do what a man who won't live another day wants from him," he told Robin. "They're preparing things for the hanging out there. Joyful picture for a man like me!"

"Have you talked to him at all?" Robin demanded.

"Talk? I only hear talk. Swing you will in the morning, I tell you!" The man seemed excited.

Robin bent down in one motion, grabbing the plate, and threw it through the bars with as much force as he could muster. It hit the man squarely in the face.

While the move was one of pure rage and frustration, Robin also realized that he could only hope for the jailer to be angry and stupid enough to go and storm into the cell. He would be ready for such a move.

The man held his face, showing a small cut on the forehead.

"You're going to regret this, my boy," he said slowly. To Robin's disappointment, he didn't open the cell. Instead he left, rubbing his head.

Robin meanwhile investigated what had originally been on the plate and had now fallen to the ground. He hadn't looked at what was at the plate before, but he was hungry, that much was certain. It had been the day before that he had eaten last, having not even received anything in the morning. The hanging had been supposed to happen then, so maybe the jailer had considered any food wasted in that occasion. Robin was still alive now, though, and his stomach was empty. He found some bread on the floor that was almost as hard as said floor. There was a bowl as well that had originally been filled with water but had been spilled it as he had thrown the plate. He felt the bread in his hand, knowing he wouldn't be able to eat it this way. At least it was something else he could throw at the jailer in case he returned, even if the only thing it earned him was satisfaction.

The man didn't show his face again though, not delivering on his earlier threat for reasons unknown to Robin, who also didn't bother to call for him again. The man wouldn't bring either Marian or Gisborne, and Robin had no other way to find out what he needed to know.

He lay down at the cot, feeling tired. He hadn't slept during the last night, his mind full of fears and thoughts of what was going to be. His mind wasn't less full now, but it was his body that was refusing to go on any longer without sleep. He didn't want to sleep. He still had to try and come up with something he could do. He mustn't sleep. He mustn't waste the little time he had.

Before he finally drifted away, he realized that he would at least know in the morning. If Marian was there at the hanging, he would at least know then that she was alright. He wished he had any way to know about the rest of his men as well.

* * *

Guy had risen very early. His sleep hadn't been as restful as he would have wished. Although he had the calming knowledge that Marian was back at the castle, there was still the worry at the back of his mind.

Maybe it had also been the promise of the hanging that had brought him out of bed early. It was certainly a much anticipated event among the sheriff and his followers. If Guy was honest to himself though, he didn't enjoy the prospect as much as he should. He didn't mind the fact that Hood would be killed. What he minded was the way he had been caught. Guy didn't think much of any standards of fairness. At the end the man who was the strongest one, the most ruthless one, was the one who would succeed, who would survive.

Still, Guy hated the fact that Hood had been caught when he had been working with him, when he had been helping him to save Marian. It gave Hood some worth, somehow, for this very moment at least. It was a worth that resulted from seeing Marian safe. Without Hood, there was no telling what would have happened to her. It had been his idea, after all, to return to Nottingham. It was his insistence and unwillingness to take no for an answer that led them to find Marian in time, and Guy didn't like that he would die at the end of the day because of that.

For some time, there was also the question as to Hood's motives on his mind again. Strangely enough, it also caused him to remember the conversation with the sheriff he had led some days ago, Vaysey demanding to find out about Hood's sore point... Guy shook his head. It was impossible.

He had seen Marian to her chamber the night before and he planned to see her in the morning again. She would surely be at the hanging. They could spend some time together afterwards and Guy would be able to shove the wrong feelings he had about Hood's capture into the back of his mind. Maybe he would find out then where she had been those last days. She had been silent on the matter the night before. He could only guess that she had been about to return to the castle when those men had ambushed her.

Guy dressed and walked outside into the castle yard. On the first glance he noticed that the gallows hadn't been readied. He frowned. Surely the sheriff didn't plan to let Hood live. It was an interesting concept, when he thought about it, having the outlaw rot in the dungeons. Hanging was a quick way to have it over with. If they kept the man suffering in the dungeons, it would be a sign that would possibly hold true for years to come. Guy knew though that the sheriff would neither risk that, always fearing the outlaw to get away somehow after all, nor had the patience for that. Not that Guy would usually have supported any such solution.

The sheriff himself stood beside him moments later. Guy looked down at him. "Sir."

"What a day, isn't it, Gisborne?

"Yes, my lord."

"You and me, we're going to ride out today." The sheriff seemed cheerful, clapping his hands.

"Sir," Guy turned to him again. "Is there not going to be the hanging today?"

"Now are we eager, Gisborne!" the man smiled. "You will see the outlaw hang early enough. Let us not spoil our mood today with the thought of criminals!"

"Do you think this wise, my lord? Hood has gotten away many times before."

Vaysey was still smiling. "That is why I told you to double the guards. I also chose to order archers being placed everywhere around us. If the outlaw shows his nose outside, they're going to be there. They've been ordered not to kill though, for I am going to see Hood hang, no matter how much or little alive he is going to be then."

Guy nodded. So the sheriff hadn't changed his mind about Hood at all. At the end of the day he was still as preoccupied to see the outlaw killed publicly as ever. Still, Guy didn't understand the man. If Guy wanted someone dead, they died. Guy didn't play, or think and hesitate until the chance was gone.

Guy had no notion of where the sheriff was leading him, as he did not know most days, and he followed without question. This was not the first time the sheriff acquired an odd taste for peculiar rides and meaningless missions. All that the man cared for was to have his Master–at-Arms with him. Even at times Gisborne suspected the sheriff enjoyed his company, but the man would never openly admit to it. What he did know was the fact that it would take up their day, the very reasoning of why the hanging had been rescheduled to the next morning.

They returned late at night and Guy was disappointed about having lost the day he could have spent with Marian. It was even too late at night to go and see her. Guy led his horse back into the stables himself and then wandered slowly through the darkness on his way back into the castle.

When he had almost reached the entrance, a man nearly bumped into him. Guy shouted at him, enticing an apology from the other. Gisborne recognized him to be the jailer.

"Sir Guy," the man said, still appearing distraught.

"What is it?" he asked with a cold feeling of foreboding in his stomach. It couldn't be...

"The outlaw."

"What about him?" Guy demanded, not even asking if they were actually talking about Hood.

"He threw a plate at me," the man gulped. "Do I have your permission to make him pay?"

Guy stared at the man. He was in no state of mind to deal with such trivial nonsense. The jailer was acting as though he was merely a child intent on getting revenge, and obviously he failed to see the simple solution at hand.

"I would suggest that you do not give him any more plates then. Consider yourself lucky it was a plate and not something of a more sharp nature, such as a sword or dagger," he added. "In any way, he will hang in the morning."

The jailer seemed unhappy. "So quick. Nearly painless, if he is lucky and his neck breaks."

Gisborne smirked only.

"He wanted to talk to you, Sir Guy! But I wouldn't let him have it!" The man kept talking as he walked back towards the castle at Guy's side. As they were stepping inside, the man turned to him again. "May I have my simple pleasure, Sir?"

"No," Guy refused decidedly. "He will hang in the morning," he repeated. "You're not going to touch him till then. He will hang and pay for his crimes."

The jailer's disappointment was evident, but Guy didn't give him another chance to approach the topic, instead left the man standing at the entrance of the castle and walked up to his room. He knew that he could easily have let the jailer torture Hood. He had planned to do the same when he thought the outlaw was hiding Marian, and was usually no man who hesitated in that matter, if he saw the need for it. But now he wasn't seeking any answers from the outlaw anymore. And as the situation was, he wouldn't get any satisfaction from the knowledge of torture being done. Neither would he let the simple-minded man of a jailer have any of it.

Guy was still waiting for the satisfaction about the upcoming hanging to set in. He would feel it, he was sure about it.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Last chapter here. Thanks to all who read and reviewed! Happy Holidays!  
**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

Robin was woken up by the sounds of the door opening. Disoriented he lifted his head and saw the shine of torches lighting up the cell. Sitting up, he noticed several guards outside the cell and one of them opened the door to it. He stood there, looking at Robin.

"Now what's keeping him?" Robin could hear the jailer asking from the dungeon's door.

The guard who had opened Robin's cell motioned him to walk forward and Robin reluctantly moved, knowing that his time had come. The guard grabbed his arms while another bound them. Three more guards were watching. The jailer beamed.

One guard shoved Robin forward. Another grabbed his arm, pulling him through the next door, leaving Robin little time to even think about what was going to happen now. They moved the known way, but didn't take him outside as he had expected, were instead pulling him along another turn, yet deeper into the castle again.

The men behind him grumbled something Robin wasn't able to understand. He wondered where they were taking him. He was fairly certain that the sheriff would want a public execution with much fanfare.

Robin had no idea where they were going. What he knew was that the corridors were devoid of any other people. There was only him and the five guards. He wouldn't be able to fight them, even less so with his hands bound. But he would be able to run if he got the chance. He knew this would be his last opportunity to try to escape.

The next time they were crossing a corridor, he let himself sag heavily against the man walking behind him. The man lost his balance and the hold on the outlaw's arm, and Robin turned and got up quickly to hasten down the dark hallway.

He didn't come so far. The second man who had been behind him swung his fist, hitting Robin over the head. He went down and next felt a painful kick against his ribs, while his head was still swimming.

He knew his last chance was gone. They would beat him now till they could only drag him to the gallows.

Robin heard punches and kicking and the ringing of swords, but no more pain followed the existing one. Then he was pulled to his feet and saw two guards lying on the ground. As far as he could tell, it was the two men who had been walking behind him, had been hitting him. The other three were shoving him forward now, away from the others.

One of them took his arm then, stopping him, and lifted his sword.

"Robin, it's me," he whispered and Robin recognized Will, as the man cut the bound the knocked-out guards had made around his hands. The other two men, standing some paces away from Will and Robin, were keeping watch. "That's John and Much."

His hands free again, Robin rubbed them and asked, "And who were the other two?"

Will shrugged. "Guards."

Robin didn't have time to ask for more explanations, as Will made him go on, Much and John falling into step beside him. Robin wondered how they had gotten into the castle, or how they had even known that he was in trouble. The most urgent question was though how they were planning to get out again, having the man the sheriff compulsively wanted to see swinging at the gallows in their midst.

"Where's Djaq?" he asked.

Will glanced around, his mind apparently more on the task at hand. "With Marian," he replied simply.

"Where are they?" Robin urged, as he felt relief flooding through him. Will didn't reply, but instead shoved Robin to the side, stationing himself before the man, Much and John still at his sides. Robin got an unwelcome sight over Will's shoulders.

Gisborne had walked right into their path. And the man had clearly seen them. Will, Much and John were still dressed like guards, but the situation made it obvious that they weren't actually in employment of the sheriff. Gisborne stared at them for a second and Robin saw Will straightening in front of him, as if to charge ahead any moment, but then Guy turned away. He walked off into the adjoining corridor and while Robin still looked at the spot where he had been moments earlier, Will pulled the archer forward again.

They were moving into corridors now that were not lit by torches, but Will seemed to know where to go despite the darkness. They turned around a corner and Will slowed down then; Robin could hear Much and John coming to a stop behind them.

"Careful now," Will whispered to Robin.

Robin seemed to pick up a small shine of light then. It looked as if it was coming out of the ground. They were getting closer to it and then Robin recognized that there was a hole in the floor and light was shining through it. Will went down on his knees and looked into the hole.

"We're here," he said.

"Get Robin down first," Djaq responded from below.

Robin moved closer to the hole and looked at the ground below. It wasn't very deep, but deep enough that a person wouldn't simply be able to climb out of it. He hoped the gang knew what they were doing.

He nodded. "I'm coming."

He sat down with his legs hanging over the edge and then let himself drop. He was glad it wasn't very deep for the ground was made of stone. Standing up, he saw that Djaq wasn't the only person down there. Marian was waiting next to her in what Robin now noticed to be a long, low corridor that he could only hope would lead them out of the castle.

Will, Much and at last John followed him from the hallway above.

"You have to hurry before they notice Robin's gone," Marian urged them.

"You're coming, too, aren't you?" Much asked, removing the helmet of the guard's uniform.

Marian shook her head. "They'd know I helped you. And Guy would go looking for me again."

Robin intervened. "He can't find you if you're at the camp. And what about the sheriff? He tried to have you killed."

She frowned. "I'll be careful." Robin knew she wouldn't and that there was no way for her to ensure her safety. She looked at him earnestly. Then she came closer and hugged him. "Now hurry. I've spent more time down here than I ever wanted."

Robin smiled. "One day you're going to have to tell me what you've been up to."

She nodded. "John," she turned to the large man then. He stepped closer and lifted her up. She pulled herself up and was soon in the upper corridor. With a last smile she vanished into the darkness.

"Hurry," Djaq urged then and Robin moved forward.

"Where's this tunnel leading to?"

"Forest near Knighton," Will explained briefly.

"It has to be hours till there!" Robin was surprised. As they moved along, he saw several men lying bound on the ground of the tunnel and guessed that these were the guards the gang had stolen the uniforms from.

Will nodded. "Marian left yesterday to get us."

Robin frowned. "I don't understand."

Djaq stepped up to him. "She told us she was ready to try and do something stupid to save you from the gallows. When she realized that the hanging had been postponed till today, she knew she would have enough time to get us through the tunnel. She arrived at the camp last night and brought us here."

"What about the guards?"

Will grimaced. "Well, we took the uniforms and wanted to get you out of the dungeons, but we met these other two guards who really wanted to come and take you to the hanging."

"Disgusting," Much commented. "They believed it when we told them the sheriff wanted to see you before the hanging for his own enjoyment! They were very eager to take you."

Robin smiled at him. "Well, I'm glad, my friends, you were there, too." Sobering up, he added, "I'm worrying about Marian though."

Djaq nodded. "She was willing to take a great risk to help you."

Robin sighed, looking ahead, knowing they had still many hours to go before they would finally be back in the safety of the camp.

* * *

Marian once again moved through the darkness. She knew the way by now, but she still had to be careful. When she had tried to find the entrance to the tunnel the day before, she had gone the wrong way several times. It wasn't easy to find, which was probably a good thing.

It had been a long day. She hadn't been able to sleep the first night she had been back at the castle. She had come up with plans and had dismissed them. When she had finally thrown out every single idea she had been able to come up with, she had realized that there wasn't a realistic way for her to save Robin before the morning's hanging. So she had gone with the desperate plan.

She had waited close to the dungeons, hiding, planning to fight her way through guards once they were bringing Robin. It hadn't come so far. Nobody brought Robin out and for a terrible half an hour she had feared it was already too late. Then she had heard a passing guard mention that the hanging had been postponed till the next day.

Then she had known she had enough time to get help. The way had been long. She had been better prepared for the path through the tunnel that led her to Knighton this time. She had made sure that she had a light with her for the full way, which had enabled her to run instead of treading carefully. It still took her many hours to reach the outlaw's camp. The gang had naturally been surprised to see her there and she had lost no time in explaining the situation.

It had made her plan to save Robin less desperate. Now he was on his way to safety and she could finally breathe a sigh of relief. She was tired beyond measure, but she would soon be back in her room. Very soon people would notice that Robin was gone, if they hadn't already with all the commotion that had certainly been caused by the fact that the supposed guards had taken him from the dungeons. Marian could only hope nobody had noticed her absence.

Before she had left the previous day, she had learned that the sheriff and Guy were riding out for the day, so Guy might not have been looking for her. Today was a whole different matter though. Considering he had even chosen to cooperate with Robin in order to find her, he would certainly not rest before he knew where she was. So she had to make sure that he would find her at her room, pretending to have just woken.

All of these matters were on her mind, when she turned a corner and there the man stood in front of her.

"Guy."

He wore a grave expression. "You helped him get away, didn't you?"

Marian was so surprised at seeing him and his sudden accusation that she had a hard time coming up with an explanation.

"He saved my life," she finally admitted, knowing there was no point anymore in trying to pretend Guy's claim wasn't true.

"So did I." He moved closer to her.

She swallowed. "Yes, and I am grateful."

He looked down at her with a blank face and she knew he was hiding his feelings. "You need to leave."

"I can't leave," she argued automatically.

"You have to! The sheriff will know you helped Hood escape."

"He won't know, if you don't tell him," she insisted, knowing that she would take a great risk even in that case. She would never be certain how long Guy would be loyal to her, how long till the promise of power would turn him against her.

"He will know, Marian, even if he won't be able to prove it. And he does not need proof to hang someone. He will hang you in Hood's stead if he wants to."

Marian knew this to be true. She stared at him, her thoughts racing.

"These men that attacked you the other night," Guy went on. "The sheriff sent them. I cannot prove this either, but I know it to be this way." He took her by the shoulders. "When we rode out yesterday... there was a man at the castle..." Guy shook his head and Marian realized that there had been another benefit in her leaving the castle to get Robin's lads. "You are not safe here anymore. I can't protect you."

"But where shall I go?" she asked quietly, although the answer was already clear in her mind.

"Leave Nottingham and find safety somewhere," Guy told her. "I'm going to come and find you one day."

While he spoke, her mind was on the fact that she would go to Robin. She didn't dare to consider what Guy would feel if he ever found out.

She nodded. "I will go."

"Do you have a safe way to leave? Can you go the way Hood left? I can find another way for you to leave if I have to."

"I can go the same way as Hood. There's a secret way out." She didn't want to reveal more, although she knew that the passageway would be found. Some people certainly already knew about it, just nobody who had cared about safeguarding it.

He pulled her in his arms. "Just be careful."

"I will be."

He let her go then and she walked away, returning the way she had come along mere minutes earlier. There was no going back now. She easily found the entrance to the tunnel this time. She checked the small bag she had taken with her the day before to see if there was still enough material for her to light another torch. Then she climbed into the tunnel once more. She knew that she couldn't be very far behind Robin and his men, and hurried to catch up with them.

For a sudden moment she gasped as the possibility of a trap came to her mind. Had Guy sent her after Robin in order to catch him? Was he following her and everything he had said earlier had only been an act? Was she leading him right to Robin? Marian stopped in her tracks at the thought. Her heart beating fast, she listened. She tried to stay calm. There were no steps to be heard. She shook her head. She had to trust that Guy had been sincere. His fear for her had been real, she felt it.

When she hadn't heard anything behind her several minutes later, she finally moved on. She hastened her pace once more, not as keen as earlier to catch up with the outlaws, but willing to get away from the castle as fast as possible. Guy was right. The sheriff would know she had helped Robin and nothing would save her from his wrath then. He'd have her openly killed, not conveniently disposed of as he had tried before.

It took a long time, but finally she could hear sounds ahead of her.

"Robin," she called. She didn't want to startle the men, but then she had to announce herself somehow, as they would be wary of who was following them. She kept running and then she saw them. "I have to leave the castle," she said, "Guy... he knows what I've done; he told me I had to leave."

Much nodded. "Good. Good idea. It's time we all get out of here."

Marian couldn't agree more.

It came as a relief when they stepped outside into the sun later. The forest around them offered some degree of safety and they continued their journey on a slower pace now. Marian went on, almost falling asleep walking by now.

She had been walking around so much during these last couple of days. Though she was drowsy she remembered the fact that it started when she had wanted to go as the Nightwatchman again. Maybe this would also be a solution to the situation she found herself in now. Nobody would know she had joined with the outlaws, if it was the Nightwatchman who worked with them.

The only thing she wanted to do when they finally reached the outlaw's camp was sleep. She was only kept from it briefly when Robin took her aside.

"Welcome back."

She smiled at him, leaning into his embrace.

**END**


End file.
